Even after the divorce is final, you will still be co-parents for many years. A common source of future conflict is disagreement over major decisions: Should our child attend public or private school? Should they get braces? Should they receive a certain medical treatment?

A well-drafted Shared Parenting Plan anticipates these disagreements and builds in a process for resolving them, preventing you from having to go back to court every time a new issue arises.

Your agreement should clearly name one parent as having final decision-making authority for specific areas, or it should outline a clear dispute resolution process. For example, your plan can state:

• Educational Decisions: "Mother shall have final decision-making authority regarding educational matters."

• Medical Decisions: "The parents shall make joint decisions regarding non-emergency medical care. If they cannot agree, they shall attend mediation with a neutral third party before filing any motion with the court."

By building the "what if" scenarios into your initial agreement, you create a clear roadmap for resolving future conflicts. This proactive approach saves you time, money, and stress, and allows you to focus on what's most important: raising happy and healthy children. We also note that the best time to negotiate these issues is while you and the other parent are getting along well and negotiating in good faith; in contrast to trying to resolve the matter when a major disagreement has arisen. Most attorneys will encourage you to consider a lengthier shared parenting plan negotiation during the divorce or dissolution process whenever possible.

To learn how to build a comprehensive plan that protects your children's future, download our free guide: Focused on Their Future: A Strategic Guide to Custody and Co-Parenting for Professionals.