As parents, we will want to provide the best for our children. Thus, preparing and saving for the child’s educational expenses is often the common goal of most couples with young children. It allows your child to pursue higher education without worrying about the expensive tuition fees.

Planning ahead for your child is undeniably the best thing, regardless of your marital status. However, it is definitely more challenging if you do it alone due to an unforeseeable divorce. The questions are, Will you be contributing to 100% of your child’s education-related costs? How are you and your ex-spouse sharing your child’s education-related expenses? Such education expenses include, but are not limited to, tuition fees, learning materials, extra-curricular activities, etc.

Before the divorce, you and your ex-spouse may have started saving for your child’s tertiary education. It is essential to consider if the amount is still available or sufficient to meet your child’s education needs.

During discussions on divorce settlement terms, prioritizing education planning for the children is crucial. Ideally, you should negotiate a lump sum to be set aside upon divorce to cover their future educational expenses, particularly tertiary education, which might be years away.

If allocating a lump sum isn’t feasible due to financial limitations, you might propose that the other party commits to regular savings earmarked for the children’s education.

Ensuring both you and the other parent are insured adequately for the potential tertiary education needs of the child is vital. This way, you can safeguard against any financial disruptions arising from the death, disability, or critical illness of either parent, ensuring uninterrupted funding for the children’s education.

Education Planning after divorce allows you to make changes to your existing plan, determine your child’s education goals, and create a roadmap as a single parent to meet your child’s educational needs. Remember, education planning should not take the back seat when an unexpected event happens.

The importance of education planning should not be overlooked, as it is your child’s key to a brighter and more fulfilling future. Education planning minimises the financial stresses when your child is near tertiary age. It allows you to set aside a regular amount and leverage the effect of compounding to achieve your child’s educational goals.
Therefore, it is vital to assess your current financial situation and have a plan to cover the cost of education before or after the divorce.

In summary, education planning, regardless of marital status, ensures that you are financially prepared for your child’s educational pursuits. You will be assured that any life uncertainties will not disrupt your child’s opportunities. Most importantly, you do not have to utilise your retirement or emergency funds to support your child through tertiary education.

Disclaimer:

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