Have you got problems coordinating child support payments? There is an app for that. In fact, there are several startups now aiming to help parents do everything from co-parent to pay for shared expenses. For some parents, this might seem like overkill. In other cases, parents welcome any help they can get.
Note that this article does not recommend any particular app. It merely shares information on some of the most popular ones currently available so parents can make their own decisions about whether using one might prove useful.
General Expenses
SupportPay is one of the most common apps parents come across. Perhaps, not surprisingly, the inventor is a child of divorced parents who often fought over money. Forbes notes that when she later divorced, she realized that the negotiation process for the sake of the children often continued long after the finalized child support order. Here are some of the many expenses this app can keep track of and organize for parents:
• Court fees
• Expenses for tax-filing time
• Automated child support
• Health care
• Education
Child Care
Experts often cite the cost of child care as one of the biggest reasons millennials generally put off starting a family. Negotiating these costs after a divorce can give this obstacle a new meaning for custodial parents who often get stuck with the full bill when partners do not pay their fair shares.
U.S. News reports that the app helps families with the tax-related and payroll issues surrounding paying and withholding taxes for household employees who receive more than $2,000 in a year.
Sports
Many children play on sports teams at school or within the community. Playing on a team comes with expenses related to uniforms, trips and regular dues. Non-custodial parents often have a difficult time keeping up with this, which can affect their children’s chances to play.
Sports teams can use Groundwork to create an account for the team, add team members, organize payments and send parents reminders. Parents can then make payments via the app.