Special advice for divorced or separated parents
Divorced or separated couples face several unique issues during this transitional year of your senior’s life. Parents should make every effort to work amicably with their ex-spouse to help their senior through this sensitive year.

Good lines of communication are vital when it comes to making some very critical decisions with your student. At the very least, the following issues need to be addressed:

• Where will information from the school be mailed? If both parents would like to receive the same information, call the school and ask to have both mailing addresses on your student’s file.
• How will the senior year expenses be handled? Click here to download a Senior Year Budgeting Form. Many items may fall outside your existing financial arrangements. Talk to your ex-spouse about dividing these costs. To make it easy, have them write checks directly to the school or vendors.
• How will post-high school expenses be handled? Give your senior realistic expectations of what you are willing to pay for and what you will not pay for. Sharing your financial plans with your senior will give them a better understanding for the decisions they need to make.
• What is the agreed upon dollar limit for educational expenses? Make sure your senior is aware of your dollar limits and plans accordingly. Applying to colleges that are outside of your budget is a recipe for conflict.
• Which parent will help the senior with their post-high school education plans? Or will both?
• What other type of expenses is your senior going to incur after high school and how will they be handled? Car insurance, medical insurance, room and board, books, spending money, etc.
• Financial aid guidelines vary by state and change frequently. However, be aware, that if you apply for financial aid and have full custody of your senior, you need to include your child support on your applications. If you have shared custody, you may need to get a copy of your ex-spouse’s tax return.
• If one of you is the primary parent and/or your ex-spouse lives out-of-town, you will be dealing with distance when it comes to making some very critical decisions with your student. This might be a good time to ask other family members and supportive friends for assistance. Maybe someone else could help with career advice, informational interviews, college entrance exams, college tours or college applications.
• When planning your graduation celebration, be sure to consider your graduate’s wishes. As one mother told us. “It’s not about impressing your ex-spouse, or trying to make them feel left out. It’s about celebrating this very important milestone”. Your graduate may end up having smaller celebrations with each parent.