614-241-2174Because divorce is so stressful, it’s easy for the parties involved to forget important things. When gathering such necessary documents as tax forms, bank statements and other items, soon-to-be exes in Ohio should also consider looking at old calendars. These may contain a wealth of information that could be important in the divorce and also be evidence if spouses disagree about an event or expense.
A parent who is preparing for divorce-related litigation may need to provide many details to an attorney about children’s activity schedules and health care costs. They might also need to give information about expenses. Calendars may contain all of this information. Some commonly overlooked expenses may include gifts for birthday parties that children have attended or the costs of traveling overnight for a school- or sports-related activity. A parent may also use the calendar to prompt their memory about any visits the child may have made to a doctor or therapist. This information can also be useful in determining parenting time, which is often used to calculate child support.
Another factor in calculating child and spousal support payments is lifestyle, and the calendar can help here as well. For example, it may have information about smaller trips and visits to restaurants that are not as memorable as major vacations.
If support is awarded, exes should keep in mind that child and spousal support are different and have different purposes. Child support is supposed to pay for the child’s needs and might end once they turn 18 except under certain circumstances. Spousal support might be permanent or temporary, lasting only until the recipient ex-spouse finishes training or education for a new job. In some cases, neither person may pay spousal or child support. An attorney could help a client understand the nuances of family law.