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Can divorce hurt kids’ college plans?

On Behalf of | May 28, 2019 | Divorce |

When family dynamics change due to divorce, the impact can be long-lasting. Many Texas parents find that planning for life after divorce involves a lot more than simply dividing assets and going their separate ways, especially if they have children. And a study published in Sociological Science has found that it can even stop children from going to college.

The study found that divorce and the decrease in income that can follow affected white children’s plans for higher education. While the study found that the impact was not the same for children in non-white families, both white and non-white families face similar situations when it comes to divorce and decreasing income. All parents can benefit from knowing about this possible effect so they can address it and plan for it during the divorce process.

The decrease in income and the loss of financial resources after divorce can be a result of and lead to employment instability for parents. Sometimes this instability is the cause of the divorce itself, particularly when the father is the one struggling to have stable employment and faces traditional views of the male breadwinner. Similarly, fathers who had been stay-at-home parents might also struggle with accepting support payments. For other parents, the instability might be the result of having to learn all about the family’s finances, assets and debts only during and after the divorce, which can be a nasty surprise. Experts recommend that spouses share in the financial planning and decision making during marriage, so in the case of divorce both are able to provide more financial stability to their children and help prevent negative effects, such as those that prevent children from going to college.

Seeking guidance from a family law attorney during the process might provide support for divorcing parents. A lawyer might not only offer guidance and advice, they may also offer representation in court.

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