During, or even after separation or divorce, parenting can be quite difficult. Not only are you adjusting to the change caused by separation or divorce, but so is your child or children. Change is hard for any age group. But healthy contact with both parents is critical to the psychological health of the children. This must be made a priority, despite the fact there may be hard feelings between you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse. A written custody and visitation agreement, also known as a parenting plan, can be mutually agreed upon by both parents. There are different parenting plans which can work for each child's age group as well as your particular situation and which should be considered to determine the best interests of your child or children. Parents must consider both physical and legal custody when determining their parenting plan. Here are a few things which should be taken into consideration when developing a parenting plan.

A court can order one spouse to make monthly payments of support to the other spouse when a couple legally separates or files for a dissolution.  These payments are known as spousal support. These monthly payments used to be referred to as “alimony.”  To begin a spousal support order, one of the following cases must be filed: an annulment, a dissolution, a legal separation or a domestic violence restraining order.