Saint Paul Family Law Blog

Parents in Minnesota who find themselves facing an impending divorce know that at some point they will need to break the news to their children. This may be one of the hardest conversations they will ever have but it must be done. What to say to a child about a divorce depends in large part on the child's age and stage of emotional development. When it comes to preschoolers, less can be more.

As explained by Today's Parent, children between two and five years old will need very basic and concrete explanations. Moms and dads should avoid discussing any problems between themselves and instead clearly and lovingly tell their children what to expect in their lives. For example, letting them know that they will still go to the same school and which parent will pick them up and which parent will drop them off is important for these youngsters.

Divorced Minnesota parents can create provisions in their divorce agreements that state which of the two parents are to pay for medical bills for their children, if one parent or both should do it, and how much each parent is to pay. However, there are times when a parent is slow to pay his or her share. When this happens, you need to take important steps to organize medical bills and receipts that you will need when you seek reimbursement for your child’s medical bills.

First, FindLaw recommends that you retain your medical bills and receipts in the same place. Spreading them out throughout your home only increases the odds that you will lose one or more of your documents, or that you would have to waste time looking for your receipts. You might even forget about one of your bills or a receipt, which can cause great problems if you receive a past due bill or miss an opportunity to file for reimbursement.

Making purchases is a common part of everyday life, so common that it is easy to forget about when, where or even what we have purchased from day to day. However, for Minnesota parents who receive or pay child support, keeping a record of purchases may take on greater importance. Fatherly explains that documenting and tracking your expenses could be crucial if you ever have to renegotiate child support, among other matters.

There are a few instances where documenting what you spend on your children can be of great assistance. If your ex-spouse suspects you are not spending support money on the children, you can prove you are spending the money in good faith. Also, if you are paying support and have recently been demoted or lost your job completely, you want to prove you have been doing your best to provide for your children and that you are not trying to falsely claim financial hardship to get out of support payments.

Divorces in Minnesota often center on child custody agreements. These sensitive matters, along with property division, typically form the core issues at the end of a marriage. This atmosphere has the potential to cause a decent amount of posturing by one side or another, but the court systems tend to maintain a focus on the best interest of the child. 

The prevailing viewpoint is that children benefit from having both parents in their lives. Until significant scientific evidence comes to light that casts doubt on this general presumption, it is unlikely for courts to favor so-called sole custody agreements.