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Divorce And Your Children’s College Funding in Auburn

Children’s college funding is a top priority for most parents in the United States. The issue is likely to become more intense between co-parents during a divorce. This is because college tuition fees are significantly high, even if the children attend public institutions.

For most children, getting into college can become prohibitively expensive if they don’t have parental support – even if they choose a major that will lead to a career that doesn’t pay that much.

You need a proven divorce attorney in Auburn with strong negotiating skills if you are determined to ensure that your ex-partner is not let off the hook for paying for college education once the divorce is finalized. On the other hand, if you are the paying parent, your divorce lawyer should be able to ensure you don’t end up paying more than what you can afford.

Divorce Orders in Auburn and College Funding

You should negotiate the college payments while discussing the division of marital assets during a divorce. You may miss the window of opportunity if you wait to discuss this until your child is old enough to attend college. This is a confusing point for people because of changes in case law.

The court, in 1989, ruled that a father could not shirk his responsibility to pay for his child’s college expenses simply because of the child’s unpleasant attitude towards him. This was a precedent determining most divorce settlements in Alabama until 2013.

The Alabama Supreme Court set a new legal precedent in 2013 that no parent could be forced to contribute towards education expenses once the child was 19 years old. This makes it important to negotiate college payments while getting divorced instead of waiting till your child is ready to go to college in Auburn.

Determining a Fair and Unbiased Cost Share

You should hire an experienced Auburn divorce attorney to approach the college expense negotiations on your behalf. Tempers can run high during settlement negotiations, and you inadvertently sabotage your options.

Your attorney may be able to help you look at things from an unbiased view. For instance, if you and your ex-spouse both earn comfortable incomes, you may find it reasonable to pay 50% of the college expenses.

You may be willing to do this even if there is a difference in the income levels, but both of you can meet your needs and wants. Unfortunately, there is usually not an equal income split in many divorce cases where college funding becomes an issue. If the divorce involves a homemaker and a high-earning individual, it may be unfair to ask the homemaker to contribute 50% of the college expenses.

If your marriage has substantial earning discrepancies, you may ask the higher-earning parent to pay for most of the college education. You may want to consider consulting with a tenacious divorce attorney that can negotiate on your behalf or fight for your rights.

Negotiating with Your Ex for Your Child’s College Funding

Divorces really just end up becoming give-and-take situations. You need to offer something or give up something to get something else in return. You may need to negotiate if your child’s college fund is important to you. The intricacies largely come down to the specifics of a marriage and divorce case.

You probably won’t have to sacrifice a lot if there is a massive earning disparity within your marriage. Your child’s college expenses may get covered by the other parent. After all, getting a college education and seeing their child succeed is in the best interests of both parents.

Skilled Auburn Divorce Attorneys Can Help in Negotiations

After realizing how expensive a college education is, you may want to figure out college expenses with the other parent. However, it’s easy to get stuck in circular negotiations that lead to unhelpful arguments. Your attorney can help ensure that you keep the discussion moving forward with your child’s best interests in mind.

You and your attorney can work out a solution that doesn’t require your child to get burdened under student debt. You may need to compromise on other things during your divorce settlement, however.

There are several moving parts in a divorce – division of assets, division of debts, child support, spousal support, child college expenses, and child custody among others. It can be challenging to have everything lined up just the way you want, and this is where your attorney can help to keep you focused on the big picture.

Choose a Dedicated Divorce Lawyer in Auburn to Protect Your and Your Child’s Financial Rights

The attorneys at Alsobrook Law Group have decades of collective experience in helping clients reach a positive divorce settlement. To request your free, no-obligation consultation, call us at 334-737-3718 or message us online.