As the calendar winds down, many families naturally take time to reflect on the past year—what worked, what didn’t, and what needs to change moving forward. This season of reflection isn’t just about personal goals and holiday plans. It’s also an ideal moment to revisit the legal agreements that govern your family’s daily life. Custody schedules, child support orders, and spousal support arrangements are living documents that should evolve as your family does.

Over the course of a year, a lot can change: a new job, a relocation, shifting school needs, new relationships, or unexpected financial challenges. Even positive changes—like a child’s participation in new extracurricular activities or a parent’s improved work schedule—can create ripple effects that your current family law orders may not fully reflect. Reviewing these agreements before January arrives ensures they still support your children’s stability and your family’s best interests.

A thoughtful end-of-year legal check-in can prevent conflict, reduce stress, and position your family for a smoother and more organized start to the new year. And if you discover that your custody schedule or support structure no longer meets your needs, early action can make the adjustment process far easier. Before heading into a new year, speaking with a family lawyer in Matthews, NC can help ensure your agreements remain aligned with your family’s needs and protect what matters most.

Custody & Parenting Plans

Confirm Current Parenting Schedule Functionality

Start by considering whether your current parenting schedule still supports your child’s day-to-day needs. Has the arrangement kept up with changes in school schedules, after-school activities, tutoring, therapy appointments, or childcare requirements? Children’s developmental stages also change what they need from each parent—what worked for a preschooler may no longer fit a middle or high school student.

If your existing schedule consistently causes stress, lateness, or academic disruption, the new year may be the right time to explore adjustments.

Review Holiday & Break Schedules

Holiday schedules are some of the most common areas where families experience friction. Reflect on how this year’s holidays went:

• Did both households have enough time to enjoy meaningful traditions?
• Did travel arrangements run smoothly?
• Were there any misunderstandings or last-minute disagreements?

Communication Methods

Healthy communication is at the core of effective co-parenting. Take a moment to evaluate how well your current communication methods are working. Are text conversations often misinterpreted? Have tensions risen over missed messages or unclear expectations?

If direct communication isn’t working, structured co-parenting tools such as OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents, or AppClose can create accountability and reduce conflict. These platforms also provide documentation that may be helpful if legal issues arise later.

When to Modify

Sometimes a plan simply no longer fits your family’s needs. You may need to consider modifying your custody order if:

• There is persistent conflict or miscommunication
• One parent experiences a major life change (job schedule shift, move, health concerns)
• Your child’s academic, medical, or emotional needs have changed
• The current order lacks clarity and causes repeated disagreement

Child Support Orders

Review Income Changes

Child support obligations are closely tied to each parent’s income. If you or the other parent have experienced a raise, job loss, reduced hours, or significant change in self-employment income, your current order may no longer reflect your family’s true financial picture. North Carolina allows modifications when there is a “substantial change in circumstances,” which often includes noticeable income shifts.

Confirm Practical Needs

Children’s expenses rarely stay the same from year to year. Increased costs for school supplies, extracurricular activities, childcare, medical care, or transportation may indicate that your support structure needs reevaluation. These practical changes are often overlooked until a year-end review brings them into focus.

Accounting & Documentation

Proper documentation protects both parties. If support has been paid directly rather than through NC Centralized Collections, ensure you have clear records of all payments made or received. Organized documentation not only prevents disputes—it also supports your case if a modification becomes necessary.

Spousal Support / Alimony

Evaluate Whether Current Support Is Still Appropriate

Spousal support is designed to maintain fairness as both parties transition into post-separation life. But circumstances change. Consider whether:

• The dependent spouse has gained employment or become partially self-supporting
• The supporting spouse has experienced financial hardship
• The current amount still reflects the parties’ respective financial realities

Tax Considerations at Year-End

Spousal support tax rules changed significantly in 2019. Agreements executed before 2019 may still follow older rules that allow deductions for the paying spouse and taxable income for the receiving spouse. Agreements after 2019 follow the opposite structure. Year-end is an ideal time to confirm how your support order affects your tax planning—and whether updates are needed to align with current requirements.

When to Contact a Lawyer

If you are unsure whether modification is appropriate, or if you’re facing enforcement issues, consulting a spousal support lawyer in Mecklenburg County can give you clarity and direction. A family law attorney can help you understand whether your situation qualifies as a substantial change and what steps to take to protect your financial stability going into the new year.

Property Settlement Agreements (PSAs)

Confirm All Obligations Are Met

Review the agreement to verify that all transfers and responsibilities have been fulfilled. This may include:

• Vehicle title transfers
• Retirement account divisions or rollovers
• Mortgage refinances or removals from property debt
• Execution and recording of property deeds

Review Timelines

Many PSAs include deadlines tied to refinancing, selling real estate, or completing financial transfers. Check whether any of those deadlines are approaching or may have already passed. Year-end is a critical moment to catch missed obligations before they create unnecessary issues.

Update Beneficiaries

Separation and divorce often require updates to:

• Retirement account beneficiaries
• Life insurance policies
• Pay-on-death or transfer-on-death accounts
• Estate documents

Estate Planning & Emergency Documents

Update Wills & Advance Directives

Your will should reflect your current financial circumstances, relationships, and priorities. If you’ve experienced a change in marital status, guardianship preference, or major asset ownership, your documents should be updated accordingly.

Powers of Attorney

Reevaluate your designated agents for both financial and healthcare decisions. Ask yourself:

• “Is this still the person I trust most in an emergency?”
• “Does this choice support my custodial responsibilities as a parent?”

Child Emergency Plans

Parents should review who is authorized to:

• Pick up children from school
• Make medical decisions in emergencies
• Care for children temporarily if a parent is unavailable

Financial & Insurance Review

Health Insurance Changes

Open enrollment often occurs near the end of the year. If your employer, marital status, or custody arrangements have changed, now is the time to update your family’s coverage. Ensuring your children remain properly insured is essential—and failing to update coverage can affect support obligations.

Life Insurance Needs

Many NC separation agreements and court orders require life insurance to secure child support or spousal support obligations. Confirm that:

• The policy is active
• Coverage levels match your agreement
• Beneficiaries are correctly listed

Budgeting for 2025

As you look ahead, consider whether your current support arrangements align with your projected financial needs. Rising costs of living, childcare, extracurriculars, and medical expenses may justify a discussion about support modifications. Likewise, a change in employment or income may require planning for updated legal obligations.

Start the New Year Confident and Prepared

Year-end legal reviews aren’t just administrative tasks—they’re an opportunity to strengthen your family’s foundation. Taking the time to evaluate what is working and what needs adjustment empowers you to enter the new year with greater clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.

Proactive updates also help protect your children’s well-being, easing conflict before it grows and creating a more predictable environment for them to thrive. Whether you’re co-parenting, navigating support obligations, or reorganizing your financial life after separation, thoughtful preparation can make all the difference.

If you need help reviewing your custody order, modifying spousal support, or updating your family law agreements before the new year, Attorney Kara K. Goodman is here to support you with clarity and compassion.

📍 10020 Monroe Road, Suite 170-288, Matthews, NC 28105
📞 (704) 502-6773

📧 kg@goodmanlawnc.com

🕒 Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
🌐 www.goodmanlawnc.com

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