Best Parenting Plan Tool for Self-Represented Parents in New Brunswick
If you're representing yourself in a New Brunswick custody case and need the best tool to build your parenting plan, the answer depends on what stage you're at. For drafting a court-ready parenting plan from scratch, a structured province-specific guide gives you the most practical output. For ongoing co-parenting communication after your order is finalized, a co-parenting app makes more sense. Free government resources cover the legal basics but leave the actual planning work to you.
Here's how the main options compare for a self-represented parent in New Brunswick.
Comparison: Parenting Plan Tools Available to NB Parents
| Factor | Free Gov't Resources (PLEIS-NB, Justice Canada) | Co-Parenting Apps (Custody X Change, OurFamilyWizard) | Province-Specific Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $10–$40/month or $110–$300/year per parent | One-time purchase under C$40 |
| NB court forms covered | Links to Form 81A, Form 72A — blank PDFs | Generic Canadian templates | Rule 81 vs Rule 72 filing roadmaps with exact forms and fees |
| Parenting schedule tools | Federal Parenting Plan Tool (can't save progress; emails output as unformatted text) | Calendar-based schedule builders with percentage calculators | Worksheet-based schedule templates with 40% threshold calculator |
| Decision-making guidance | Defines the four categories | Generic templates | Structured worksheet covering healthcare, education, religion, extracurriculars with sole/joint/divided options |
| Holiday planning | General suggestions | Calendar integration | Step-by-step holiday matrix (Christmas, March Break, summer, birthdays, special days) |
| Ongoing communication | None | Message logging, expense tracking, GPS check-ins | Not designed for post-agreement communication |
| NB-specific content | Strong on definitions and referrals | Minimal — generic Canadian or North American | Built specifically for NB's dual-track court system, PIP requirement, and local filing fees |
Free Government Resources: Solid Foundation, No Planning Muscle
PLEIS-NB (Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick) and Family Law NB provide excellent introductory material. They explain the 2021 terminology reform, define decision-making responsibility and parenting time, and link to the correct court forms for your judicial district.
The federal Department of Justice offers a Parenting Plan Tool — an online questionnaire that walks you through considerations. The problem: it can't save your progress. When you finish, it emails your responses as a single block of unformatted text. There are no worksheets, no schedule calculations, and no way to iterate on a draft.
For a self-represented parent, free resources are where you start — not where you finish. They tell you what the law requires. They don't help you build the plan the law requires.
Best for: Understanding the legal framework before you begin drafting.
Co-Parenting Apps: Built for After the Agreement
Custody X Change ($9.97–$39.94/month per parent) generates professional-looking PDF parenting schedules and calculates time percentages. OurFamilyWizard ($110–$300+/year per parent) provides court-admissible communication logs, expense tracking, and GPS-verified check-ins. Kidtime offers a more affordable option at $69.99/year per parent with AI-assisted tone scanning.
These tools are genuinely useful — after you have an agreement. They're designed for ongoing co-parenting coordination: tracking exchanges, logging communication, splitting expenses. What they don't do well is help you draft the initial parenting plan for a New Brunswick court. Their templates are generic across Canada (or all of North America), they don't distinguish between Rule 81 and Rule 72 filing procedures, and they don't cover the PIP course requirement or NB-specific filing fees.
They also require both parents to subscribe and actively participate, which isn't always realistic during a contentious separation.
Best for: Post-agreement communication logging and schedule tracking, especially in high-conflict situations where court-admissible records matter.
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Province-Specific Guides: The Planning Layer Free Tools Leave Out
A structured parenting plan guide fills the gap between knowing what the law requires and actually building the plan. The New Brunswick Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide is designed specifically for self-represented parents navigating NB's dual-track court system. It includes:
- Parenting schedule worksheets with the 40% shared-parenting threshold calculator — mapping overnights and hours so you know exactly where your proposed schedule lands for child support purposes
- Decision-making responsibility worksheets — not just explaining the four categories, but walking you through sole vs joint vs divided arrangements for each
- Separate filing roadmaps for Rule 81 districts (Saint John, Moncton) and Rule 72 districts (Fredericton, Bathurst, Campbellton, Edmundston, Miramichi, Woodstock) with exact form numbers and filing fees
- Holiday and vacation matrix — step-by-step planning for dividing Christmas, Easter, March Break, summer, birthdays, and special days
- PIP course walkthrough — registration, the three-part video series, and the 60% quiz threshold
The output is a draft parenting plan you can attach to your Form 81A or Form 72A, bring to mediation, or hand to a lawyer for final review.
Best for: Self-represented parents who need to draft a complete, NB-specific parenting plan before filing or mediation.
Who This Is For
- Self-represented parents filing Form 81A (Saint John/Moncton) or Form 72A (other districts) without a lawyer
- Parents who need to understand the post-2021 terminology and translate it into a concrete, enforceable plan
- Anyone preparing for mediation or a Rule 81 case conference who wants to arrive with a structured proposal
- Parents calculating whether their schedule crosses the 40% threshold — because a few hours either way changes how child support works
Who This Is NOT For
- Parents in high-conflict situations involving domestic violence or safety concerns — consult a lawyer and consider Legal Aid NB
- Parents who already have a finalized agreement and need ongoing communication tools (a co-parenting app is better)
- Parents who can afford to hire a family lawyer at C$300–C$600/hour and prefer full professional support
The Practical Approach
Most self-represented parents benefit from combining tools in this order:
- Free government resources to understand the legal framework and locate your court forms
- A province-specific guide to draft your parenting plan, calculate your time split, and prepare your filing
- A co-parenting app (optional) after your order is finalized, if you need structured communication logging
This sequence costs a fraction of what a single consultation with a family lawyer runs — and gives you organized proposals if you do decide to consult one later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file for custody in New Brunswick without a lawyer?
Yes. New Brunswick allows self-represented litigants in family court. You'll file either Form 81A (in Saint John or Moncton under the Case Management Model) or Form 72A (in other districts). The court registry distributes the forms, but you're responsible for completing them and attaching your parenting plan.
Is the federal Parenting Plan Tool good enough for my NB case?
It's a useful starting point for thinking through parenting considerations, but it has significant limitations. It can't save your progress, delivers output as unformatted email text, and doesn't cover NB-specific procedures — which court track you're on, which forms to file, or how to calculate the 40% shared-parenting threshold for child support.
Do I really need NB-specific content, or will a generic Canadian guide work?
New Brunswick's dual-track court system (Rule 81 vs Rule 72) is unique. The forms, procedures, and intermediate steps differ depending on which judicial district you're in. A generic Canadian guide won't tell you whether you need a Triage Coordinator or a Case Management Master, and it won't cover the PIP course requirement.
How much does it cost to represent yourself vs hiring a lawyer?
Court filing fees are C$75 for a parenting application or C$110 for a divorce petition. A structured guide adds under C$40 to that. By comparison, a family lawyer charges C$300–C$600/hour, and a contested custody case can run thousands in legal fees. Self-representation isn't right for every situation, but for straightforward cases, the cost difference is substantial.
What if my case becomes more complicated after I start?
Start with self-guided preparation and escalate if needed. Many parents complete most of the planning work themselves and hire a lawyer only for the final review or a specific contested issue. Having organized proposals when you walk into a lawyer's office saves billable time.
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