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Visitation travel expenses?

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ackgirl

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

My ex-husband is moving to Kansas this fall. We will be meeting with a mediator to hammer out the custody/visitation/support schedule. I will be the custodial parent. He was reading the new Massachusetts support guidelines today, and there was a blurb in there about the judge making adjustments to the support order if travel expenses to allow visitation are really high. It was very non-specific, and seems like a case-by-case basis type of thing. My ex-husband is interpreting it as me having to pay a good chunk of the air fare to fly our daughter back and forth to Kansas. Let me tell you, it's expensive!

So my question is, do any of you have experience with this? It doesn't seem fair to burden me with most of the cost of travel, when he's the one (non-custodial) who's moving away. Now, if I, as the custodial parent, were moving our daughter away from him, I can see me being responsible, since I would be the one causing the expense. But since he's the one making the choice to move away, I don't understand why I should have to pay? Please share any and all experiences. Thanks!

Edited to add: We currently split custody 50/50; that's been the arrangement for 4 years. His move is the reason for revisiting custody and CS. Just wanted to clarify we already have an order in place and have been divorced for a while. Also, please know that I would have no problem with contributing to the travel expenses, but he seems to want me to pay for the whole shebang, since his CS will be going up.
 
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Ohiogal

Queen Bee
ackgirl said:
What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

My ex-husband is moving to Kansas this fall. We will be meeting with a mediator to hammer out the custody/visitation/support schedule. I will be the custodial parent. He was reading the new Massachusetts support guidelines today, and there was a blurb in there about the judge making adjustments to the support order if travel expenses to allow visitation are really high. It was very non-specific, and seems like a case-by-case basis type of thing. My ex-husband is interpreting it as me having to pay a good chunk of the air fare to fly our daughter back and forth to Kansas. Let me tell you, it's expensive!

So my question is, do any of you have experience with this? It doesn't seem fair to burden me with most of the cost of travel, when he's the one (non-custodial) who's moving away. Now, if I, as the custodial parent, were moving our daughter away from him, I can see me being responsible, since I would be the one causing the expense. But since he's the one making the choice to move away, I don't understand why I should have to pay? Please share any and all experiences. Thanks!

Edited to add: We currently split custody 50/50; that's been the arrangement for 4 years. His move is the reason for revisiting custody and CS. Just wanted to clarify we already have an order in place and have been divorced for a while. Also, please know that I would have no problem with contributing to the travel expenses, but he seems to want me to pay for the whole shebang, since his CS will be going up.
If you split custody 50/50 what makes you the Custodial parent over him?
 
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eme76

Guest
Ohiogal said:
If you split custody 50/50 what makes you the Custodial parent over him?
I could be wrong but I think OP ment they split travel cost 50/50:confused:
 

ackgirl

Junior Member
No, you are misunderstanding. We CURRENTLY share 50/50 custody and there are no travel expenses yet. He is moving this fall, at which point we will go back to court and I will be made the custodial parent. Custody will then be roughly 70/30 in my favor. Sorry, thought I made it clear.
 
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eme76

Guest
ackgirl said:
No, you are misunderstanding. We CURRENTLY share 50/50 custody and there are no travel expenses yet. He is moving this fall, at which point we will go back to court and I will be made the custodial parent. Custody will then be roughly 70/30 in my favor. Sorry, thought I made it clear.
OOOPPPSY....sorry:eek:
nevermind
 

ackgirl

Junior Member
No problem, guys. LOL. I guess I didn't explain it well in the beginning. From what my friends have told me, I'll probably be responsible for half the travel. I guess that's fair, as long as I don't have to pay ALL of it. Still would like any feedback from those who might know. Thanks again.
 

ceara19

Senior Member
ackgirl said:
No problem, guys. LOL. I guess I didn't explain it well in the beginning. From what my friends have told me, I'll probably be responsible for half the travel. I guess that's fair, as long as I don't have to pay ALL of it. Still would like any feedback from those who might know. Thanks again.
Since dad is the one creating the distance, you have a good case for making him responsible for most, if not all of the travel expenses. From my understanding, the travel expenses are usually only deducted from the child support if the person receiving the support created the distance, but I could be wrong.
 

haiku

Senior Member
I would push for him paying everything, can't hurt, but it is my understanding that in mass, everybody pays half period. no matter who causes what. (you are responsible for costs associated when you want the kid with you)
 

ackgirl

Junior Member
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the input. I plan to speak to my lawyer before we go to mediation. Just wanted to know if anyone had experience with this. It seems like the extra money I'll be getting b/c I'll have her most of the time (and therefore my expenses will be higher to feed and clothe her, etc) are going to be eaten up and then some with me being responsible for the big ticket items like travel, child care (after-school and summer programs, etc). I don't want to live high on the hog. In fact, I wish I didn't have to take his money at all, due to his attitude, but I need the CS to keep my child healthy and happy. I just want to be able to pay the bills. Seems like it's going to get tougher now. Oh well. It's important that she spend as much time as possible with her dad, and if that costs me extra, so be it, I guess. Thanks again!
 

GrowUp!

Senior Member
ackgirl said:
In fact, I wish I didn't have to take his money at all, due to his attitude, but I need the CS to keep my child healthy and happy. I just want to be able to pay the bills. Seems like it's going to get tougher now. Oh well. It's important that she spend as much time as possible with her dad, and if that costs me extra, so be it, I guess. Thanks again!
So, by your own admittance, you need child support to pay your bills, not to keep the child healthy and happy.
 

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
ceara19 said:
Since dad is the one creating the distance, you have a good case for making him responsible for most, if not all of the travel expenses. From my understanding, the travel expenses are usually only deducted from the child support if the person receiving the support created the distance, but I could be wrong.
You are wrong to a certain extent. The way it works is this -- if dad has to pay a great deal of transportation costs -- say $1000 -- then he would get a child support credit (maybe $50 a month) but it is not equal to the entire transportation cost. It is just a "little" help to show that the courts understand that both financial support and physical custody are important and to enable a parent who wants to be a parent in every sense of the word. So yes dad can receive a credit for travel however it will not be the whole thing. Both parents may also be responsible for half the travel expenses.
 

ceara19

Senior Member
Ohiogal said:
You are wrong to a certain extent. The way it works is this -- if dad has to pay a great deal of transportation costs -- say $1000 -- then he would get a child support credit (maybe $50 a month) but it is not equal to the entire transportation cost. It is just a "little" help to show that the courts understand that both financial support and physical custody are important and to enable a parent who wants to be a parent in every sense of the word. So yes dad can receive a credit for travel however it will not be the whole thing. Both parents may also be responsible for half the travel expenses.
I never said she would GET what she was asking for, only that she would have a good case to present in court. ;)
 

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
ceara19 said:
I never said she would GET what she was asking for, only that she would have a good case to present in court. ;)
Sorry Ceara.. not trying to argue. All I meant is the court will not give him all of the transportation costs as a CS credit and may not make her provide half the travel. Sorry if I misunderstood what you were saying. It just isn't a dollar per dollar credit.
 

ceara19

Senior Member
Ohiogal said:
Sorry Ceara.. not trying to argue. All I meant is the court will not give him all of the transportation costs as a CS credit and may not make her provide half the travel. Sorry if I misunderstood what you were saying. It just isn't a dollar per dollar credit.
I know you're not arguing. I just pointing out that a previous post about splitting the transportation costs wouldn't necessarily apply. If you're going to ask for something, it's best to aim high and expect less, then to never ask at all.
 

ackgirl

Junior Member
Ceara and Ohiogal, I just want to say thank you for helping. I got a bit sidetracked by the rude comments of the other poster.

I do think it's more than fair for me to help defray the travel costs. Yes, it's XH's choice to move away, but the travel costs between here and Kansas are VERY high, so I think the court will rule that I need to help out. It's good to know that neither of you seem to think I'll be responsible for the whole thing, though. That would break me.

Thanks again for giving me some info. I'll find out more when I talk to my lawyer. I truly do appreciate you both taking the time to help.
 

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