May 30, 2014

Many divorced couples have had to deal with the issue of who pays for what, especially college expenses. This is a huge financial commitment and something you have to start thinking about early on.

If the divorce is fresh, this could be a tricky topic to discuss. Of course, with some divorces, you may have already built this expense into the agreement. Those currently going through the divorce should discuss this issue with their attorney and make sure it's handled before the divorce is finalized.

What's Normal with College Expenses?

Typically, non-custodial parents don't want to pay for college or as much for college. It's not an easy conversation and they are still the parent. However, if they pay child support and alimony, they may feel like they are already doing their part.

Negotiating College Costs

When you decide to bring this up with your ex-spouse, it can be difficult. Negotiating means there will need to be some give and take and this will be hard to enforce in court, so you have to stick to your word.

Most court agreements state that a spouse will pay a "reasonable" amount of the expenses, which may have to be approved by the court. This could mean quite a few different things, depending on the income of the family.

Each state is different when it comes to the laws surrounding college expenses. Michigan doesn't have a statute or a case law for this issue. However, it can still be negotiated by your attorney and agreed upon before the divorce is final.

Make sure, when discussing college expenses, you make it about your children, not about you or your ex-spouse. This will go a long way to getting the right type of agreement for everybody.