When Maryland parents decide to end their relationship, the division of parenting time and responsibilities is a chief concern. Once a child custody and child support agreement has been reached, many parents begin to struggle over the financial end of things. Child support is an item of contention among many divorced parents and can make it difficult to create a positive co-parenting relationship.
One company has developed a phone app that seeks to ease these tensions and give parents a platform to communicate about child support. Called SupportPay, the app can be used to address virtually all aspects of child support. This is especially helpful for parents who are expected to divide the cost of certain expenses outside of the monthly payment structure.
For example, many children require tutoring services and also wish to attend summer camp. These expenses are often split between the parents. When there is debate about the cost of an item or the need for certain expenses, the matter can quickly escalate to a full-blown fight. That outcome is not good for parent or child, and SupportPay offers a way to discuss the issue in a neutral environment.
Parents can upload invoices, receipts and other information to the app, which the other parent can access on his or her end. Payments can be set up to go through the system, which provides a means of tracking expenses and verifying that both parents are contributing. Parties can send messages back and forth and are also given the ability to document everything that flows through the app. For those in Maryland who find it hard to have a productive discussion with each other over financial matters, this child support app could be an invaluable tool.
Source: bloomberg.com, “The App That Helps Divorced Parents Fight About Money“, Ben Steverman, Feb. 17, 2016
