Readers
of this blog may have seen previous postings discussing child support
determinations and which parent is more likely to receive the majority of
physical custody. Some may believe that the courts always favor the mother over
the father. While this is not a proven statistic in the present day, there are
certain mistakes that are often made by fathers that could make them less
likely to obtain custody of their children when going through a divorce.
First of
all, it is important that the father does not purposely drive an increase in
the cost of litigation. In some states, this type of behavior is punishable by
law. The circumstances leading up to the frivolous behavior do not necessarily
matter. Therefore, it is very important that couples going through a marital
dissolution choose their legal counsel wisely so they are advised
appropriately.
Second,
it is important that fathers do not stretch themselves too thin financially. It
is often helpful to meet with a lawyer who can help the parent budget for the
upcoming divorce proceeding and also help them understand the different
financial obligations that may arise, some of which the parent may not be
aware.
Third,
fathers sometimes give in on custody proceedings hoping that they will become successful
later. However, this action of putting their children on the back burner and
not making them a priority is actually a huge mistake. It is important that
children have both parents present in their lives.
Fourth,
fathers will often use their children as leverage to decrease their child
support payments. They will fight for more time with their children so that
they are not stuck making large child support payments. However, oftentimes
when all is said and done then this time is not actually spent with the
children. This type of behavior can put a father right back where they started,
in the courtroom.
Lastly,
it is important not to let unpaid child support add up. If a modification is
needed due to changed circumstances, then it is important to seek that
modification as soon as possible. Back due child support can be extremely
financially detrimental to a divorced or divorcing parent.
Source: The
Huffington Post, "5 Dumb Mistakes DadsMake During Divorce and How to Avoid Them," B. Robert Farzad,
Feb. 13, 2014.
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