YUMA, Arizona. According to Bloomberg , among couples over age 55 who have adult children, 33 percent have stepchildren. As more people get divorced and remarried, the chances of having an extended family have also grown significantly. More of the people we consider kin are not always our biological parents or children. However, when families grow and change, individuals might struggle to understand their obligations to their stepchildren. In fact, some extended families report facing challenges when considering how to divide resources among biological and stepchildren. The children don’t have to be underage to be a challenge. Adult children can also pose challenges, especially if children need money for college or health care. Adult children may also struggle with the responsibility. Should you care for a stepparent the same way you’d care for a parent?

If you are divorced and considering getting remarried, it is important to talk about your obligations to the step kids before you tie the knot. For example, divorced individuals may already have a responsibility to pay child support to support their biological children. Will a new spouse expect the parent to also support the stepchildren? In some cases, the boundaries are clear: a parent might choose to adopt his or her spouse’s children. In this case, the children will be legally considered his or hers along with all financial obligations.

However, if this doesn’t happen, things can get complicated and confusing. For example, if you and your new partner are combining finances, it might be wise to talk about how money will be spent on children and stepchildren. What about child support payments?

According to the Huffington Post , if you plan to be a part of an extended family, it is important to discuss financial matters early and openly. If you are planning to get married, but have child support obligations or if there will be stepchildren, it is important to discuss expectations about the children. For example, if the stepchildren come to you for money, how should this be handled? Will you be expected to pay for childcare? Do you expect your spouse to contribute to your children’s college fund? Does your spouse have to pay child support and how will that impact your budget? When both parents are the biological parents of the children, these questions are hard enough. When you have a blend of biological children and stepchildren, these questions can be even tougher.

Finally, it might be best to put everything in writing, especially if you don’t plan to adopt the stepchildren. When everyone has a clear expectation going into the relationship, there is less likely to be confusion and conflict later.

If you are thinking about getting remarried, if your new partner has children, or if you are struggling to balance paying for stepchildren and your child support, you may want to speak to a qualified divorce lawyer in Yuma, Arizona like Schneider & Onofry, P.C. Our attorneys can review your circumstances and help you find a solution that works for your family. Visit us at https://www.soarizonalaw.com/ today.