By Alan Plevy
It’s back-to-school season, and for divorced or separated parents, the question is: Who is paying for the expensive TI-84 calculator or laptop their child needs for class? Alan Plevy was featured on WUSA9’s Great Day Washington discussing how divorced parents share back-to-school expenses.
Child support doesn’t necessarily cover the cost of school supplies which is, on average, $600 per child. This expense can add more stress to an already tense situation between divorced or separated parents. So how do you decide who covers what back-to-school shopping in a divorced home? Plevy provides the following tips:
“Split the Baby”
Plevy suggests parents share these expenses. Together, parents can decide on a fair spit, who will pay for what, and how the payments will be made in a timely manner. Sometimes it is easiest to split all expenses down the middle.
Use Income Ratios
Sometimes, one parent makes significantly more than the other. Another way to divide the cost is by using income ratios. If one parent pays 60% for medicine, they could pay 60% for back-to-school.
Put the Animosity Aside
Productively working these issues out ahead of time reduces the impulse to buy two sets of supplies, one set for each parent’s home. Don’t start a “can you top this?” spending war that has parents locked in a competition to shower the child with expensive supplies. Those disputes not only unnecessarily drive up costs, but they cause more resentment and tension.
Remember The Bigger Picture
“We’re talking about your child here, and that’s what the most important thing is,” says Plevy. Cooperation goes a long way to help exes and their children handle this season. Once a plan is made, communicating through back-to-school season helps alleviate stress and avoid unnecessary conflict.
Watch Alan Plevy on WUSA9’s Great Day Washington above or click here.
About the Author
Alan Plevy
Alan Plevy is a recognized force in family law, mediation and litigation, with more than 40 years as one of the most experienced divorce lawyers in Virginia. Mr. Plevy is known for being a tenacious litigator and negotiator who is zealously devoted to his clients. A top legal publication, Virginia Lawyer Weekly, noted Mr. Plevy’s impact on the law when it named two cases he litigated among its Top Five Landmark Family Law Cases in Virginia. Those two cases, which date back to the 1980s, are still regularly cited by attorneys and courts.
