For stay-at-home parents, getting divorced can get very complicated. It can upset the entire focus of their lives.
Maybe you used to work before starting a family, for instance, and so did your spouse. When the two of you had your first child, you opted to quit your job and stay home to raise the child. You valued that personal connection, you didn’t want to simply put the child in daycare and you knew that you could save money by doing the work yourself — even if not saving as much as you were giving up by not working.
While married, that system works well. But if you get divorced, you’re suddenly without your spouse’s support. They were the only breadwinner. Now you may have questions like:
- Do I have to go back to work right away?
- What do I deserve while dividing assets?
- Is taking care of children just as valuable as working?
- What do I deserve for child support and what can that money be used for?
- Are there options for additional support, such as alimony?
This last question is one of the most important. Child support, after all, is only for the child. It doesn’t replace lost income or pay the rent. A stay-at-home parent who counted on having their own financial needs met still needs to know how that is going to happen after a divorce, especially if they want to continue caring for the childlike they were before.
In any case, if you find yourself facing a divorce and you’re not sure how you’re going to make it all work out, take the time to look into your legal options.
