Residents in California who are getting a divorce while their kids are still in elementary, middle or high school should add funding higher education to the list of topics they must address as part of their divorce negotiations. Even parents with very young children should focus on this, despite how far away college may feel at the time of their divorce. There may be no legal way to require a former spouse to contribute to this effort without it being documented in a divorce decree.
Funding kids' college after a divorce
Getting divorced with student loans
California residents probably know that they live in a community property state. This means that marital property is divided equally when a couple gets divorced. There may be some exceptions to this, such as when a prenuptial agreement outlines other provisions. Student loan debt may also raise unique situations and might or might not fall under the need to be equally split.
