You’ve always liked to move a lot. You like to see new places and have new experiences. Perhaps you see buying real estate as an investment. When the value of the house goes up, you tend to sell it and look for another place to live.
But things have been changing lately. You and your spouse got divorced, and now you share custody of your child. Is this going to have any effect on your ability to move?
How far are you moving?
If you’re just moving a short distance, it will probably have no effect at all. Maybe you bought a different house in the same city or a nearby town. You can still adhere to the child custody schedule, exchanging your child with your ex and ensuring that you’re both involved in their life. As long as you can do this, you’re still upholding the court order, and it doesn’t matter where you live.
The problem comes if you want to make a significant move, such as going to another state. This could make the custody order that you have impossible to follow. That’s when you may need to provide good faith reasons for the move – like taking a job or moving closer to extended family members — and ask the court for a child custody modification. Make sure that you don’t move, especially with your child, without getting this modification first.
Navigating the realities of life after divorce can be difficult, especially for people who still have to co-parent. Make sure you are aware of all of your legal options and requirements.