Parenting Plans
Similar to a prenuptial agreement for two people entering into a marriage, a parenting plan can help identify potential issues and address how these issues will be handled in the future. The benefits of a parenting plan are significant and can help avoid problems that may evolve into litigation. The Family Formation Law Center helps families develop custom parenting plans that take into account their children's best interests and help avoid unnecessary litigation or confusion.
Parenting plans are often used when two parents are divorcing or separating, but they can also be used in a proactive sense during family formation. With the many different family formations in today's society, a thorough parenting plan can help establish roles and responsibilities, and assist those who are looking to avoid internal family struggles and potential legal battles.
In the context of assisted reproduction, parenting plans can be very useful for establishing visitation rights, if any, of the biological parents or the egg, embryo or sperm donor. Parenting plans can also establish and clarify any future communication that is permitted or forbidden according to each individual arrangement. For families who are forming or growing their family through assisted reproductive technology, and/or those who are unwed, a parenting plan can help establish and clarify the roles and expectations of each parent.
For families who are adopting children or who are utilizing the services of an egg donor, embryo donor or sperm donor, parenting plans can help establish and clarify:
- Visition rights, if any, with the biological parents
- Communication rights, if any, with the biological parents
- A plan on how and when to discuss the adoption with the child and with other family members
- Guardianship issues in the event of death
- Financial obligations in the event of separation or divorce
The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.