Crafting Effective Visitation Schedules for Busy Professionals in High-Asset Divorces
Balancing a demanding professional life with meaningful parenting time is difficult in any circumstance. But in a high-asset divorce, that balance can become even more complicated. The truth is, both parents need a thoughtful, enforceable plan that supports their children’s needs without disrupting professional obligations.
Sheryl R. Rentz is a Montgomery County divorce attorney with over 30 years of experience. At the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, P.C., we understand that standard custody arrangements might not fit the fast-paced lifestyle and heavy travel demands of high-net-worth clients. That’s why customized visitation schedules and carefully drafted parenting plans are essential to ensuring long-term success for parents and children.
Visitation Schedules & High-Asset Divorce
In custody matters, Pennsylvania courts focus on the best interests of the child, which includes providing stability, consistent routines, and strong relationships with both parents. This can be challenging for high-net-worth individuals, as their professional obligations may involve:
- Frequent travel
- Unpredictable hours
- Emergency availability
These realities often make traditional 50/50 time-sharing or alternating weekend schedules unrealistic. Courts may still favor joint custody, but how that looks on paper and in practice must account for the professional commitments of both parents.
The solution lies in crafting visitation schedules that are flexible, enforceable, and centered around the child’s emotional and developmental needs, while respecting the realities of a demanding career.
Preserving Stability While Maintaining Flexibility
It’s important to build a parenting plan that:
- Preserves stability for the children
- Accommodates career demands
- Allows for virtual communication when in-person isn’t possible
- Sets plans for travel, holidays, and emergencies in advance
Understanding the Court’s Expectations
Under Pennsylvania family law, courts expect divorcing parents to submit a parenting plan. This plan should include proposed schedules, communication protocols, and decision-making authority. It’s important to demonstrate how your schedule can still support active parenting with strategic planning.
Courts are concerned with:
- Whether your schedule allows you to consistently exercise parenting time
- How reliable your plan is for child care, school drop-offs, and medical appointments
- Whether you have created support systems that benefit your child, such as nannies, assistants, and help from extended family
Creating a Custom Parenting Plan
Block Scheduling
Rather than switching homes every few days, some professionals benefit from block scheduling, such as one week on, one week off. This provides predictability for both the children and the parents and avoids midweek interruptions.
Midweek Virtual Visits
If you’re away for business travel or have an unpredictable schedule, virtual visitation can bridge the gap. Courts are increasingly open to including scheduled FaceTime, Zoom, or phone check-ins to maintain regular contact and emotional support.
First Right of Refusal Clause
A first right of refusal clause ensures that if one parent cannot care for the child during their scheduled time, the other parent gets the first opportunity before a nanny or relative is called. This builds cooperation and reduces reliance on outside care.
Holiday and Summer Flexibility
Professionals often have more flexibility during the summer or holidays. You may want to include language that shifts the balance of parenting time during these periods so you can maximize your availability with the child.
Make-Up Time Provisions
If a business trip causes you to miss scheduled parenting time, your agreement should allow for make-up time within a set period. This shows commitment to parenting and reduces arguments over lost days.
Travel Clauses
If frequent travel is part of your work, you can include specific clauses about notice periods, emergency contact procedures, and travel with the child. For international travel, be sure to address passport access and consent requirements.
Decision-Making Authority
In high-asset divorces, parenting often goes hand-in-hand with decisions about private schooling, health care, therapy, and extracurriculars. If one parent is often unavailable due to professional commitments, the parenting plan should clarify who makes day-to-day decisions and under what circumstances joint consent is required.
When clarity is built into the plan, it reduces post-divorce conflict and allows each parent to focus on both their career and their child without fear of overstepping. It might be a good idea to designate:
- Educational authority to one parent, if the other frequently travels
- Medical consent limits, e.g., one parent can authorize emergency care, but non-urgent decisions must be made jointly
- Guidelines for communicating decisions through email or parenting apps
Using Technology
Busy professionals are typically familiar with scheduling tools, project management systems, and cloud-based platforms. Using these tools can demonstrate to the court and to your co-parent that you’re organized, committed, and capable of managing both your professional obligations and your parenting duties.
Recommended tools include:
- Co-parenting apps like OurFamilyWizard or Talking Parents to manage communication, expenses, and calendars
- Shared online calendars for pick-ups, appointments, and vacations
- Private shared folders for documents (school reports, medical records, etc.)
Preparing for Future Adjustments
Children’s needs evolve, and so do careers. A well-crafted parenting plan will include provisions for:
- Mediation or modification if work schedules change dramatically
- A regular review period (e.g., annually) to assess whether the plan is still working
- Language that prioritizes the child’s best interests over rigid enforcement of outdated schedules
Reasons to Choose Our Firm
Sheryl R. Rentz understand the nuances of custody arrangements involving demanding schedules. We’ll help you to create enforceable solutions that work now and in the future.
Sheryl has a Superb Avvo rating and she was recognized as a Top Attorney by Suburban Life Magazine. She has served as Secretary and Co-chair of the Montgomery Bar Association.
Speak With a Trusted Montgomery County Divorce and Family Law Attorney
If you need help crafting the right parenting plan for your family, or if you have any questions about divorce and family law, contact a Montgomery County high-asset divorce lawyer at the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, P.C.
Call (610) 645-0100 today for your free consultation.
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