Implications of child's school address being the Mother's...

[NurseMom]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Missouri

To begin with, I am the Stepmother. My husband (Father) and his ex-girlfriend (Mother) are working out the details of a parenting plan in mediation, for their one shared Child, 5 years old.

My husband and I want to know what the legal ramifications are of the Mother's address being the address for school and mailing purposes if there is joint legal/joint physical custody?

What are the legal ramifications of the Mother having sole physical custody with a joint legal custody agreement and a parenting plan stipulating a mutually agreeable 50/50 time sharing?

There is no sense in fighting over something that has no weight. Mostly, Father just wants to ensure that his Child spends significant time in our household and feels a part of Father's family, as well as Mother's. Father is also worried that Mother will attempt to relocate. We feel that Mother is a perfectly adequate parent and have no intention of diminishing her relationship with Child, nor attempting to interfere in her time with him.

Thank you for reading,
NurseMom

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Missouri

To begin with, I am the Stepmother. My husband (Father) and his ex-girlfriend (Mother) are working out the details of a parenting plan in mediation, for their one shared Child, 5 years old.

My husband and I want to know what the legal ramifications are of the Mother's address being the address for school and mailing purposes if there is joint legal/joint physical custody?

What are the legal ramifications of the Mother having sole physical custody with a joint legal custody agreement and a parenting plan stipulating a mutually agreeable 50/50 time sharing?

There is no sense in fighting over something that has no weight. Mostly, Father just wants to ensure that his Child spends significant time in our household and feels a part of Father's family, as well as Mother's. Father is also worried that Mother will attempt to relocate. We feel that Mother is a perfectly adequate parent and have no intention of diminishing her relationship with Child, nor attempting to interfere in her time with him.

Thank you for reading,
NurseMom

What it means is that mother's residence is primary for school purposes. What it means is that the child will go to school in mother's school district, not dad's. That means that mom could relocate as long as relocation did not make it impossible for dad to exercise his parenting time.

It also means that dad will have a bit more freedom than mom regarding where he lives. If he wants to move an hour away and commute the child back and forth to school during his time, he will be basically free to do so. However, mom could not do the same if dad objects, because she would be forcing dad to make that commute.

 

[CJane]

The designation of "sole physical" becomes completely irrelevant if they have a 50/50 timeshare.

Remember that child support MUST be addressed (by statute) when determining custody, and a 50/50 split does NOT necessarily negate one parent paying support to the other.

Mom's address being used for school purposes has no long-term effect on custody, especially if the other parent does not live in the district. Better, if the desire is for the child to remain in a specific district, is to specify that district in the agreement.

 

[stepconcern]

My experience has been that whomever is the residential parent also recieves the child support. The agreement you have come to sounds great as long as you and your husband are prepared to pay child support to her.

 

[LdiJ]

My experience has been that whomever is the residential parent also recieves the child support. The agreement you have come to sounds great as long as you and your husband are prepared to pay child support to her.

That is absolutely not true in a 50/50 situation. I agree that some child support is normally paid in a 50/50 situation, but its normally paid by the parent with the higher income, or if the incomes are the same, the parent who is taking on the responsibility for things like health insurance and/or daycare receives some child support from the other.

 

[gr8rn]

Dad is allowed to contact the school and have mailings sent to his house as well. And he should take it upon himself to call and get to know the teachers and be involved in school activities and parent teacher conferences.

 

[CJane]

My experience has been that whomever is the residential parent also recieves the child support. The agreement you have come to sounds great as long as you and your husband are prepared to pay child support to her.

This NOT TRUE AT ALL.

My children have always used their father's address for school purposes with the express goal of keeping them in this district. Until our parenting plan swapped to HIM having 60 and ME having 40, he paid ME child support. Now, I pay HIM. And it has nothing to do with the kids' address.

In a TRUE 50/50 split, Ldi is right that it will basically come down to whose expenses are greater ert the children (health insurance, daycare, etc).