Kids tend to think that being an adult is easier than being a child. In some ways, it certainly is. And in some ways, being an adult is much more difficult. Once you have gained the freedom to make your own choices, you must exercise that freedom at varying degrees of risk. For example, you may be contemplating relocation due to work, love, medical need or another compelling reason. However, you may be worried about how relocation will affect your child and/or your child custody arrangements. Making choices like this is part of what makes being an adult uniquely challenging.

If you are contemplating relocation, it may benefit you to speak with an attorney experienced in cases like yours. Your attorney can then inform you about the ways in which your custody agreement construction and other legal issues may affect your situation. In addition, your attorney can help to guide you through the process of making your relocation work for you and your child in a legal sense, should you opt to move forward with the relocation.

Depending on the ways that your custody order is structured, you may need to inform your child’s other parent of your move or you may need to modify your order so that you can legally relocate. The particulars of your custody order and your relocation specifics will help to determine the ways in which you need to move forward.

No matter what you choose to do, the question of whether or not to relocate yourself and your child can be a difficult one. Seeking out support in the form of an experienced attorney may help you make the best decision possible for you and your child.

Source: The Huffington Post, “Divorce Confidential: Your Legal Rights to Relocate Your Child,” Caroline Choi, Aug. 20, 2014