How to Prepare to Become a Single Parent

Filing for divorce can be the best option for you and your spouse to move on with your lives. However, it can also leave you facing parenthood alone.

When you are about to become a single parent, you need to navigate the legal system to your and your children’s advantage. You can prepare for single parenthood by hiring a knowledgeable Queens NY divorce attorney from Levitsky Law Firm to represent you today.

Petitioning for Child Support

The absence of the other parent from your household does not exonerate him or her from supporting his or her children financially. In fact, under the state’s laws, both parents have an obligation to provide equal support for the children until they turn 18.

To ensure that your former spouse pays support, you can hire an attorney to go to court and petition for child support on your children’s behalf. Your lawyer can ask the court to award you support as the children’s primary caretaker. The amount that you get paid will be based on how much money that your spouse earns each month and will remain in effect until your children turn 18.

Petitioning for Custody or Visitation

You also need to have your lawyer ask the court to formalize the custody and visitation of your children. Despite being divorced, you may not want to deprive your children of access to their other parent. You want him or her to have joint or shared custody as well as reasonable visitation with them.

Your lawyer can request that the judge issue a formal custody and visitation decree for your divorce. You and the other parent will then have a guideline to refer to for sharing custody and visiting with your children.

You can face single parenthood with confidence by knowing how to navigate the family court. You can hire an experienced Queens NY divorce attorney from Levitsky Law Firm for your case today.