You are here

Strategies for Documenting Child Support, Visitation Schedules, Etc

lm862003's picture

Submitted by lm862003 on Sun, 04/10/2011 - 3:55pm

Forums: 
General Discussion

Just wondering how folks on the forum document things like child support, visitation schedules, medical expenses, legal docs, etc. How do you keep these things ORGANIZED? Do you have a system? I have heard of some third-party software that tracks these things and they look pretty amazing.... does anyone have any experience with these?

sixteensmom's picture

Submitted by sixteensmom on Sun, 04/10/2011 - 5:15pm

I keep track of everything in a spreadsheet, and scan all documents so i can put them into a word doc. then i have accordian files for each kid. DH has a notebook he writes in. sometimes he's on top of it, then things start going ok for a few months so he forgets to doc, or feels it's no big deal, til he's shit on again and again, then he kicks himself.

i also cc exh and he does the same, when we send updates on things to kids.

lm862003's picture

Submitted by lm862003 on Sun, 04/10/2011 - 5:19pm

I have heard really good things about My Family Wizard. What exactly does it track? How has it helped?

stronggirl's picture

Submitted by stronggirl on Sun, 04/10/2011 - 8:24pm

We just keep a journal and an excel spread sheet with all out of pocket medical...we scan the actual bill and attach it to the excel...I have also heard great things about My Family Wizard but we have spent so much money on lawyers and now having temporary custody....that even $99 a year is not in the budget.

lm862003's picture

Submitted by lm862003 on Sun, 04/10/2011 - 9:00pm

The method that I use for tracking child support is through an automatic cash transfer from my bank to my ex's bank account. I use direct deposit for daycare as well. If I ever need to access these records its as easy as priniting out my monthly bank statements.

I posted a blog on my own site on the subject if anyone cares to check it out - http://www.modernblendedfamily.com/blogs/u1-e4/. It reads a bit like a sales pitch but I didn't know software like our family wizard even existed. I was impressed! A lot of the drama with my ex has died down so I don't have an immediate need for a third party software to "intervene" in our situation but it IS good to know that this type of software exists.

laurataeler's picture

Submitted by laurataeler on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 10:49am

Our Family Wizard (www.OurFamilyWizard.com) has been a huge help for my family and a number of people I know. The best part of the site is that everything is all organized, shared and documented. So there are no questions or accusations. It is on the site or not. We got it court ordered as well, but we asked the judge to be ordered. The website can handle everything from holiday schedule changes to making online expense reimbursements, very thorough. If you can get your co-parent to agree, it will save you a lot of headaches. Most importantly, you won't be getting your children involved in parental issues.