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FairWell After, a membership

The agreement is signed. The parenting has only just started.

FairWell After is a calm, low-cost membership for the years after your agreement or order. It keeps track of the dates that matter, gives you words for the hard messages, and puts a professional within reach before a small problem becomes a court date.

Join the founding list Try the free tools

Founding members get a lower price. Membership opens soon in Canada and the US. FairWell is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.

Your year aheadExample
  1. May01
    Exchange income information30 days before the support review, if your agreement says so
  2. Jun01
    Child support review dateWalkthrough and checklist sent two weeks ahead
  3. Jul11
    Summer: your two weeks beginSwap requests closed by your plan's deadline
  4. Sep02
    New school yearBoth parents on file, forms and fees split
  5. Nov15
    Passport expires in 90 daysStart the renewal and the consent paperwork

Illustration only. Your calendar is built from your own agreement.

The hard parts after signing

Most of what goes wrong is predictable. That is good news.

Families tell professionals about the same problems again and again, years after the paperwork is done. Here is each one, what the official sources say, and how membership helps. Your agreement and your local law always come first, so treat this as general information.

Money

Shared expenses and reimbursement

Activities, child care, braces, tutoring, camps. The fights are about what counts, whether it was agreed before it was spent, and who still owes what. In Canada these are often called section 7 expenses, and they are generally shared in proportion to income. US states use their own rules for add-on costs.

Source: Federal Child Support Guidelines, s.7

How After helps: a shared expense ledger, request and reimbursement templates, a sharing etiquette guide, and a yearly reminder to settle up.

Annual support recalculation and income disclosure

Agreements often say support is reviewed every year using updated income. In Canada, the paying parent must answer a written request for income documents within 30 days, once a year. Alberta and BC run government recalculation services; Ontario's service works on application. In the US, states must review an order on request at least every 36 months.

Sources: Guidelines, s.25, Alberta, BC, Steps to Justice, 45 CFR 303.8

How After helps: your disclosure and review dates in your own calendar, a plain walkthrough of the recalculation, and a list of what to exchange.

Missed or late support payments

Enforcement offices have real tools. Ontario's Family Responsibility Office can garnish bank accounts, report to credit bureaus and suspend driver's licences and passports. In the US, federal tools include tax refund offset and passport denial for arrears over $2,500.

Sources: Government of Ontario, US Office of Child Support Services

How After helps: a payment log, calm "payment missed" message templates, a guide to your province or state's enforcement office, and a triage call when it keeps happening.

Waiting too long to ask for a change

When income, the schedule or a child's needs change, delay can cost money. In California, for example, a court can only change support back to the date you file, not the date things changed. Canadian rules depend on how support was set.

Sources: Families Change California, Guidelines, s.14

How After helps: a material-change checker that tells you what to gather and who to talk to, and a Second Opinion at member price.

Time and travel

Schedule changes and holiday swaps

Holidays usually override the regular schedule, which is exactly where confusion starts. Who has which holiday in even and odd years? When must summer weeks be chosen? A good parenting plan is a working document that gets revisited.

Source: AFCC-Ontario Parenting Plan Guide (2020)

How After helps: your holiday rotation in your calendar, plus templates to ask for, accept, decline and confirm a swap.

Travel consent letters and passports

Canada recommends a signed consent letter when a child travels abroad without one or both parents, including separated parents, and strongly recommends a notary. Child passports last at most 5 years in both countries, and US passports for children under 16 generally need both parents' consent.

Sources: Government of Canada, IRCC, US Department of State

How After helps: passport expiry reminders and a step-by-step guide built on the Government of Canada recommended consent letter, with a US version.

Moving, near or far

Under Canada's Divorce Act, a move that significantly affects a child's relationships needs written notice at least 60 days ahead, and the other parent has 30 days to object. US rules differ by state, and many agreements set their own notice terms.

Source: Justice Canada, Moving after separation or divorce?

How After helps: a relocation checklist, links to the official forms, and a triage call before any notice goes out.

Communication

Hard messages and a high-conflict co-parent

The BIFF method (Brief, Informative, Friendly, Firm), created by Bill Eddy at High Conflict Institute, is widely used for replying to hostile messages. Court self-help material gives the same advice: clear, concise and emotionally neutral, and never through the children.

Sources: High Conflict Institute, Superior Court of California, County of Monterey

How After helps: BIFF-style templates for the conversations people dread, and a short "before you send" check.

When co-parenting is not working: parallel parenting

In parallel parenting, each parent stays involved but direct contact is kept to a minimum to protect children from conflict. It needs clear rules for handovers, decisions and how you write to each other.

Source: Justice Canada

How After helps: a parallel parenting starter kit with handover rules, a written-only channel and a decision log.

Parenting coordination

A parenting coordinator is a professional who helps high-conflict parents carry out their plan. AFCC's 2019 guidelines describe it as a hybrid legal and mental health role that combines assessment, education, case management and, at times, decision-making.

Source: AFCC Guidelines for Parenting Coordination (2019)

How After helps: a plain explainer on when one is worth it, and parenting coordinators in the FairWell directory.

New partners and blended families

Introducing a new partner raises questions the agreement rarely answers: when, how, and what role they play. Justice Canada notes that mediation can include a new partner when appropriate.

Source: Justice Canada, Making plans

How After helps: a guide and message template for telling your co-parent, and our new partners guide.

Keeping a record that holds up

If a dispute does reach court, judges need events in order, with dates as specific as possible and the relevant parts of messages marked. Records made at the time are far easier than memories rebuilt later.

Source: Provincial Court of British Columbia

How After helps: incident and payment log templates and a guide to organising your record. Whether anything is admissible is up to the court.

Growing children

Children's needs change, and teens want a say

A plan written for a toddler rarely fits a teenager. Canadian courts weigh a child's views according to age and maturity, with no fixed age at which children decide. AFCC-Ontario notes that from about 16, teens need more input into the plan.

Sources: Justice Canada, AFCC-Ontario

How After helps: age-stage guides and a yearly "does the plan still fit?" check.

School, health and activity decisions

Decision-making responsibility covers major choices such as health, education, culture, language, religion and significant extra-curricular activities. Disagreements here are common when the plan is vague about how decisions get made.

Source: Justice Canada, Divorce Act changes explained

How After helps: a decision request template and a back-to-school checklist so both parents are on file.

Your child's mental health

The Canadian Paediatric Society lists signs a child may be struggling: anxiety, sadness, changes in eating or sleep, trouble at school and aggressive behaviour. If they persist or get worse, talk to a doctor.

Source: Caring for Kids, Canadian Paediatric Society

How After helps: what to watch for at each age, how to raise counselling with your co-parent, and therapists in the directory.

What's included

Everything you need between the big moments.

Most of it is ready the day you join. We are honest about what is still being built.

At launch

Your key-dates calendar

Tell us your agreement's dates and terms. We send a calendar file with reminders for support reviews, income disclosure, holidays, review clauses and passports.

At launch

Monthly check-in email

What is coming up in the next 60 days, one tip for your children's age, one template, and a one-click way to ask for help.

At launch

Support recalculation walkthrough

What to exchange, when, and what to do if the numbers do not add up. Written for Canada and the US.

At launch

Expense ledger and etiquette

A shared ledger, request and reimbursement templates, and simple rules that stop most expense arguments.

At launch

Message templates

BIFF-style templates for swaps, late payments, new partners, school decisions and replies to hostile messages.

At launch

Material-change checker

A guided set of questions on whether your situation may have changed enough to revisit support or parenting terms, and what to gather.

At launch

Travel consent guide

Built on the Government of Canada recommended consent letter, with a US version and passport reminders.

At launch

Member pricing

20% off Second Opinion, Mediation Prep, strategy sessions and Parenting Plan updates.

At launch

Quarterly group Q&A

Live questions with a family law professional, recorded for members. General information, not advice about your case.

Plus

"Before you go back to court" triage

A 30-minute call to sort out the options before you file anything: talk, mediate, bring in a coordinator, or see a lawyer.

Rolling out

Age-stage guides

Under 5, 5 to 9, 10 to 13 and 14 to 17. What changes at each stage and when to revisit the plan.

Coming soon

Secure document vault

A safe home for your signed agreement and plan. We will only launch it with proper encryption and deletion controls.

Membership and pricing

Two simple tiers. Founding prices for early members.

Annual makes the most sense for most families, because the important dates come round once a year. Prices are in CAD in Canada and USD in the US.

Essentials

For families who mostly get along and want the dates, the templates and the tools in one place.

Annual$89 / yearFounding price. Then $119.
Monthly$9 / monthFounding price. Then $12.
  • Key-dates calendar built from your agreement
  • Monthly check-in email
  • Recalculation walkthrough, expense ledger and etiquette
  • Message, swap and travel consent templates
  • Material-change checker
  • Quarterly group Q&A with a professional
  • 20% off Second Opinion, Mediation Prep, strategy sessions and Parenting Plan updates
Join the founding list Prefer monthly? Join the list
Most support

Plus

For families with more conflict, more change, or a decision coming up, who want a professional in their corner.

Annual$289 / yearFounding price. Then $389.
Monthly$29 / monthFounding price. Then $39.
  • Everything in Essentials
  • One 60-minute strategy session each membership year
  • One Second Opinion each membership year, on a draft, a proposal or a letter
  • One "before you go back to court" triage call each membership year
  • Priority replies to your questions
Join the founding list Prefer monthly? Join the list

Membership is not open yet. Join the founding list and we will email you first when it opens, with founding prices kept for as long as you stay a member. On Plus monthly, the included session, Second Opinion and triage call unlock after your third paid month. Cancel any time. Services are delivered by FairWell and professionals in our directory; FairWell does not give legal advice.

How it works

Ten minutes to set up. Then we keep watch.

Join

Choose Essentials or Plus, monthly or annual. You get a welcome email with your templates library, usually the same day.

Tell us your dates

Answer a short form about your agreement: review dates, income disclosure, expense split, holiday rotation, passports. No upload needed.

Get your calendar

We aim to send, within 2 business days, a calendar file with every date and reminders built in. It works with Google, Apple and Outlook.

Get help when it counts

Monthly check-ins, templates when you need words, and a clear next step when something changes: a Second Opinion, mediation, a coordinator or a lawyer.

Free tools

Start now, no sign-up needed.

Three of the member tools are free for everyone. They run in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us or saved.

Free tool

Support recalculation date finder

Enter your agreement or order date and how its review clause works. Get your next review and income disclosure dates, and download them as a calendar file with reminders 14 days and 1 day ahead.

Check your agreement. Review clauses differ. Some use the anniversary of the agreement, some a fixed date after tax season, and some a government recalculation service. In Canada, a written request for income documents must be answered within 30 days, once a year (Guidelines, s.25). In the US, you can usually ask for a review at least every 3 years (45 CFR 303.8).

Free tool

Shared expense ledger

A spreadsheet for section 7 expenses in Canada, or add-on expenses in the US. Each row records the cost, any insurance or subsidy, whether it was agreed in advance, each parent's share, the receipt and payment. Share columns calculate for you.

Etiquette that prevents most arguments: ask in writing before you spend, unless it is urgent. Attach the receipt. Send claims on a regular cycle, such as monthly. Subtract insurance and subsidies first. Check your agreement for the split and for any spending limit that needs consent.

Opens in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets. The first row is an example you can delete.

Free tool

Holiday swap request generator

Fill in the details and get a short, clear request you can edit and send. It follows the BIFF approach: brief, informative, friendly and firm. BIFF was created by Bill Eddy and is a registered trademark of High Conflict Institute.

Check your agreement. If it sets a notice period or a deadline for holiday requests, follow it. Once you agree, confirm the change in writing. If there is a safety concern, do not use this; talk to a professional first.

Tandem logo
For day-to-day logistics

FairWell After handles the big dates. For the daily back-and-forth, we recommend Tandem.

Membership is not a co-parenting app. For the shared calendar, messages, expense requests and a timestamped record, we recommend Tandem, a co-parenting app built for families in Canada and the US. It builds your calendar from your agreement and offers a free 30-day trial with no card.

Check out Tandem

Compare the options in our co-parenting apps guide.

Founding members

Join the founding list.

We are opening FairWell After to a small first group. Founding members get the lowest price we will offer, kept for as long as they stay members, and a say in what we build next.

Tell us a little about your family so the first templates and guides fit real situations. We will only use your email for FairWell After, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Read our privacy policy.

Which membership interests you?
Your children's ages (choose all that apply)

Questions

FairWell After, answered.

Who is FairWell After for?

Separated or divorced parents in Canada and the US who already have a signed separation agreement, parenting plan or court order. It does not matter who prepared it. If you are still negotiating, start with our agreement and parenting plan products instead.

Is this legal advice?

No. FairWell is not a law firm. Membership gives you legal information, reminders, templates and access to professionals. Your agreement, your order and your local law decide what you must do. Before you change an agreement, file anything, or stop or reduce a payment, talk to a family lawyer or mediator where you live.

Does my co-parent need to join?

No. One parent can join on their own. The templates are written so you can share them, and many families find that a calm, predictable message gets a calmer reply.

When does it open, and what is founding pricing?

We are opening to a small first group soon. Founding members pay $9 a month or $89 a year for Essentials, and $29 a month or $289 a year for Plus, kept for as long as they stay members. Regular prices will be $12 a month or $119 a year for Essentials, and $39 a month or $389 a year for Plus. Prices are in CAD in Canada and USD in the US.

What does Plus include, and why do some parts unlock after three months on monthly?

Plus includes everything in Essentials, plus one 60-minute strategy session, one Second Opinion and one "before you go back to court" triage call in each membership year. On annual Plus they are available straight away. On monthly Plus they unlock after your third paid month, which keeps the price low for everyone.

Do I have to upload my agreement?

No. You tell us the key dates and terms in a short form, and we build your calendar from that. We will only offer a document vault once it has proper encryption and deletion controls.

How is this different from a co-parenting app?

A co-parenting app is for the daily back-and-forth: the shared calendar, messages and expense requests. FairWell After is for the bigger, slower things: yearly support reviews, disclosure deadlines, holidays, passports, hard conversations and knowing when to get help. Many families will use both. For the app side, we recommend Tandem.

Can I cancel?

Yes. Monthly memberships can be cancelled at any time and end at the end of the month you have paid for. Annual memberships run to the end of the year you have paid for.

Does it work where I live?

Yes. Rules differ by province and state, and in Quebec, so your calendar is built from your own agreement rather than a single rule. Guides note where the law commonly differs and link to official sources.

What if I am worried about my safety or my children's safety?

Your safety comes first. Do not use the message templates if contact is unsafe. If you are in danger, call 911. In Canada, the Assaulted Women's Helpline is 1-866-863-0511. In the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. A lawyer can talk to you about protection orders and safe ways to communicate.

Sources

Where this information comes from.

All sources were checked on 8 October 2026. Laws and programs change, so check the current version and your own agreement.

  1. Federal Child Support Guidelines, SOR/97-175, s.7, Justice Laws Website
  2. Federal Child Support Guidelines, ss.14 and 25, Justice Laws Website
  3. How can child support be changed?, Steps to Justice (CLEO)
  4. Child Support Recalculation Program, Government of Alberta
  5. Child Support Recalculation Service, Government of British Columbia
  6. 45 CFR 303.8, Review and adjustment of child support orders, Legal Information Institute
  7. What if our situation changes?, Families Change California
  8. Enforcing child and spousal support payments, Government of Ontario
  9. Federal Collections and Enforcement Program, US Office of Child Support Services
  10. The BIFF Method, High Conflict Institute
  11. High Conflict Co-Parenting, Superior Court of California, County of Monterey
  12. Making appropriate parenting arrangements in family violence cases, Justice Canada
  13. Guidelines for Parenting Coordination (2019), AFCC
  14. Moving after separation or divorce?, Justice Canada
  15. The Divorce Act Changes Explained: views and preferences, Justice Canada
  16. The Divorce Act Changes Explained: decision-making responsibility, Justice Canada
  17. Parenting Plan Guide (January 2020), AFCC-Ontario
  18. Making plans: A guide to parenting arrangements after separation or divorce, Justice Canada
  19. Separation and divorce, Caring for Kids, Canadian Paediatric Society
  20. Consent letter for children travelling outside Canada, Government of Canada
  21. How to apply for a child passport in Canada, IRCC
  22. Apply for a child's passport under 16, US Department of State
  23. Preparing for a Family Court Trial in Provincial Court, Provincial Court of British Columbia

Please read. FairWell is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. FairWell After provides legal information, reminders, templates and access to professionals. Your agreement, your court order and the law where you live decide your rights and obligations. Before you change an agreement or order, file anything, or stop or reduce any payment, talk to a family lawyer or mediator in your province or state. We recommend Tandem as a resource; check any app's terms and privacy policy before you sign up.