Single parent families usually have a bit more going on in terms of legal records and documents than a two-parent home. Many of us have divorce papers and decrees and legal custody documents that are part of our family papers. We also may have life insurance policies and other insurance documents. These are all not the sort of papers to be looked at once and put away. As our families grow and change, we may need to update our legal papers too.
I have found over the years that I have needed to keep my legal divorce decree handy. I have needed it for various things from financial documents to net worth statements. I have seldom needed my original parenting agreement and divorce “papers” but I’ve kept them in a safe, accessible place regardless. As a single parent, I have also needed to pay close attention to my family’s insurance coverage and have had to make adjustments over the years to our health, dental, and my life insurance. I try to keep a handle on the stuff that my children’s father has done too but have had variable success in keeping track of both.
It is a good idea to periodically take out your legal and financial documents and see if they need to be updated. If custody arrangements change, you may want to create a legal document to reflect that and as your family grows and changes, things will need to be adjusted. If you have another child, get married, move, or change jobs—there will be legal documents and papers that need to be updated to reflect those changes. It may take a little extra diligence for the single parent, but it’s worth it. You’ll be surprised how grateful you’ll be that you’ve kept everything legal and current since you just never know when you’ll need those legal, official documents!
Also: Make Sure to Plan for Emergencies
How Flexible Do You Have to Be With Your Custody Arrangements?
Let Schools and Others Know When Things Change