Who Should Pay Visitation Travel Expenses

My question involves a child custody case from the State of: My State (MS) Her state: (Iowa)

I am aware that I am not "involved" I am just asking solely for advice. My stepsons mother chose to move out of state with my husband's son when he was a few months old. She did not want him to have anything to do with him for the first few months but then warmed up to the idea once he was about 5 months old or so. Since then we have paid for everything she asks. We ask many times a month whether or not he needs anything and if he does, we get it. We have seen him once for two weeks since he has been born and he will be a year old on the 4th of February, 2017. She now wants us to pay $250 a month to her for him, which is no problem. But she lives in Burlington, Iowa and we live in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It's a 6 hour drive there and back for us to meet halfway. Who should be responsible for visitation travel expenses? And how long is appropriate for him to stay since he is not in school or anything?

you really need to get a custody/visitation order. Also, child support is something that should also be ordered by the court so as to alleviate any issues over it. Beyond that it's anyone's guess. All of your questions should be addressed in the initial custody order and I would really recommend an attorney. With no order the mother can really do whatever she wants.

Your husband will have to go to court to get visitation orders regarding the child, and to have the judge determine who is to pay transportation costs. However, in doing that its highly possible that he will be ordered to pay more than 250.00 a month as 250.00 a month is incredibly low.

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Quoting llworking

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Your husband will have to go to court to get visitation orders regarding the child, and to have the judge determine who is to pay transportation costs. However, in doing that its highly possible that he will be ordered to pay more than 250.00 a month as 250.00 a month is incredibly low.

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$250 is not incredibly low. It is exactly what her other child's father was ordered to pay by the judge.

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Quoting Ashley0416

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$250 is not incredibly low. It is exactly what her other child's father was ordered to pay by the judge.

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And you know his income was the same as your husband's? You've seen the court documents?

Nope.

Your husband should speak to an attorney. I doubt your posts here will help him much.

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Quoting Dogmatique

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And you know his income was the same as your husband's? You've seen the court documents?

Nope.

Your husband should speak to an attorney. I doubt your posts here will help him much.

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And the state that issued the order, also. That makes a difference.

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Quoting Ashley0416

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$250 is not incredibly low. It is exactly what her other child's father was ordered to pay by the judge.

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Do you know how much it costs to take care of one child a month? It's definitely not $250. The average cost of raising a child born in 2013 up until age 18 for a middle-income family in the U.S. is approximately $245,340. That's $13,630 a year. Which would be $1,135 a month. That was in 2013. It's probably more than that now. So you're going to tell me $250 is "more than enough" when on average it costs over 1000 to raise one child? That's just one child.

Everyone doesn't get the same amount of child support either. My ex owes me less than $100 a month for our daughter. (Don't get it). He owes $150 for two with his other ex and $100 for the oldest.

Your husband needs to go talk to a lawyer. He sounds like he doesn't have a custody decree, visitation plan or child support order in place. If he doesn't like the current situation he can let the government get involved and babysit him and his ex about their child. And pay more in child support. But if he has visitation in writing she can't deny him that or she can be held in contempt. It's up to your husband.

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Quoting qwaspolk69

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Do you know how much it costs to take care of one child a month? It's definitely not $250. The average cost of raising a child born in 2013 up until age 18 for a middle-income family in the U.S. is approximately $245,340. That's $13,630 a year. Which would be $1,135 a month. That was in 2013. It's probably more than that now. So you're going to tell me $250 is "more than enough" when on average it costs over 1000 to raise one child? That's just one child.

Everyone doesn't get the same amount of child support either. My ex owes me less than $100 a month for our daughter. (Don't get it). He owes $150 for two with his other ex and $100 for the oldest.

Your husband needs to go talk to a lawyer. He sounds like he doesn't have a custody decree, visitation plan or child support order in place. If he doesn't like the current situation he can let the government get involved and babysit him and his ex about their child. And pay more in child support. But if he has visitation in writing she can't deny him that or she can be held in contempt. It's up to your husband.

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I think I broke this very thing down for someone not so long ago on this board. I'll reciprocate the positive vibes!:encouragement::watermelon:

The watermelon is because...well...why not?