Child Support and Summer Vacation

[BlissfulMommy]

What is the name of your state? Florida

My boyfriends' 12 year old son will be coming down from Ohio to Florida to spend a month of his summer vacation with us. I asked my boyfriend if he still had to pay child support to the mother while he is here staying with us and he said that Ohio CS law requires him to pay it because the mother "has to maintain a home for him". She is making really good money (about $80K/year) and gets child support for another child she has with another man. My boyfriend pays about $450 a month in child support. He also said to me that he has to pay for the plane ticket because his ex refuses to pay for it. This is a double whammy for us and I don't think it's fair. This woman is taking everything she can. What is your opinion about this ?

 

[Zephyr]

What is the name of your state? Florida

My boyfriends' 12 year old son will be coming down from Ohio to Florida to spend a month of his summer vacation with us. I asked my boyfriend if he still had to pay child support to the mother while he is here staying with us and he said that Ohio CS law requires him to pay it because the mother "has to maintain a home for him". She is making really good money (about $80K/year) and gets child support for another child she has with another man. My boyfriend pays about $450 a month in child support. He also said to me that he has to pay for the plane ticket because his ex refuses to pay for it. This is a double whammy for us and I don't think it's fair. This woman is taking everything she can. What is your opinion about this ?

well, it's not a double whammy for you- you don't pay it, and you are not obligated to put yourself in a financial situation where his obligations would impact you,

secondly, if the court order says he pays transportation, then he has to, it's that simple

and if he did not have to pay cs for the period of time the kid is with him, then the amount he pays all the rest of the time would be higher because it's averaged out over the entire year......

opinions don't even matter, the law is the law

 

[BlissfulMommy]

well, it's not a double whammy for you- you don't pay it, and you are not obligated to put yourself in a financial situation where his obligations would impact you,

secondly, if the court order says he pays transportation, then he has to, it's that simple

and if he did not have to pay cs for the period of time the kid is with him, then the amount he pays all the rest of the time would be higher because it's averaged out over the entire year......

opinions don't even matter, the law is the law

I see what you are saying but my boyfriend and I are living together and the money is coming out of OUR budget, not just his. His financial obligations are impacting both of us, so we are BOTH paying for child support.

 

[Zephyr]

I see what you are saying but my boyfriend and I are living together and the money is coming out of OUR budget, not just his. His financial obligations are impacting both of us, so we are BOTH paying for child support.

but that IS your choice, when you realize that you do have a CHOICE in this and make your individual, personal, financial decisions based on that- you will feel better about it

 

[BlissfulMommy]

I know Maybe I'm looking at things too emotional and logical - not necessary what the law says. It just would be nice to have the extra money (that he pays in child support for that month) to take the kids to Orlando and do fun stuff with them. Instead, his ex is cashing in and we most likely won't be able to take them on a little vacation. And that bothers me. If I was his ex, I would send a check for the child support amount with my son and make sure that he would have a good time instead of punishing the dad having to pay double. But that is me, not her. His ex called last night and asked if we could "take her son for a month because she is going on vacation" - and we are most likely partially paying for HER vacation.

 

[moburkes]

I know Maybe I'm looking at things too emotional and logical - not necessary what the law says. It just would be nice to have the extra money (that he pays in child support for that month) to take the kids to Orlando and do fun stuff with them. Instead, his ex is cashing in and we most likely won't be able to take them on a little vacation. And that bothers me. If I was his ex, I would send a check for the child support amount with my son and make sure that he would have a good time instead of punishing the dad having to pay double. But that is me, not her. His ex called last night and asked if we could "take her son for a month because she is going on vacation" - and we are most likely partially paying for HER vacation.

She's NOT cashing in. He can, instead, pay $490.91 for 11 months. That way, he won't have to pay the 12th month.

By the way, his child support obligation didn't change because you 2 started living together. That money shouldn't be considered part of the budget for the next 6 years. You have the option of moving out and also to date someone without children.

 

[Zephyr]

She's NOT cashing in. He can, instead, pay $490.91 for 11 months. That way, he won't have to pay the 12th month.

By the way, his child support obligation didn't change because you 2 started living together. That money shouldn't be considered part of the budget for the next 6 years. You have the option of moving out and also to date someone without children.

I was thinking more along the lines of keeping seperate finances...but whatever floats your boat

 

[BlissfulMommy]

She's NOT cashing in. He can, instead, pay $490.91 for 11 months. That way, he won't have to pay the 12th month.

By the way, his child support obligation didn't change because you 2 started living together. That money shouldn't be considered part of the budget for the next 6 years. You have the option of moving out and also to date someone without children.

moburkes, he has always paid child support and never missed a payment. I love his son and I'm looking forward to have him down here with us. And I have no intention to move out or to look for someone without children, that is NOT the point at all. I don't see the justification that he has to pay child support for a month to her while their son is HERE living with us, not with her, while he is in our care and we are the ones paying for food, entertainment, gifts ect.

I thought child support is intended to pay for food, clothing, entertainment and other things a child needs, not for the mothers' vacation . Child support laws are unfair anyways. I have two children with my first husband, until last year our daughter and son were living with him, our daughter moved to live with us about a year ago. We never had court ordered child support because we were civil with each other and able to work out a child support schedule on our own. When the kids were with me during the summer he paid me child support and when the kids were with him, I paid child support to him. Now we both care for one of our children and we don't pay child support to each other at all. That is the way it should be and it is a lot fairer

 

[moburkes]

The follow the suggestion that I gave. Have him pay $491 for 1 months. The issue will have been taken care of.

 

[BlissfulMommy]

The follow the suggestion that I gave. Have him pay $491 for 1 months. The issue will have been taken care of.

moburkes, the amount for the whole year would be the same though, just instead of 12 payments it would be 11. He shouldn't have to pay $450 to her for the time he is here with us = 11 payments of $450 instead of 12, not 11 payments of $491.

 

[moburkes]

That's my point. The visitation period SHOULD have been taken into consideration when the support amount was calculated. The judge simply divided the annual obligation by 12 so that the support would be easily calculated. The suggestion that I gave is still an option.

 

[Neal1421]

That's my point. The visitation period SHOULD have been taken into consideration when the support amount was calculated. The judge simply divided the annual obligation by 12 so that the support would be easily calculated. The suggestion that I gave is still an option.

I don't think this is court ordered visitation. It sounds like he is doing the mother a favor since OP claims that the mother called last night asking him to take the child for the month.

 

[moburkes]

I don't think this is court ordered visitation. It sounds like he is doing the mother a favor since OP claims that the mother called last night asking him to take the child for the month.

I didn't catch that. Thanks.

OP, if this visitation is NOT part of the court order, then he can negotiate to take child based on mom paying for the ticket.

 

[BlissfulMommy]

I didn't catch that. Thanks.

OP, if this visitation is NOT part of the court order, then he can negotiate to take child based on mom paying for the ticket.

Ok, we are getting somewhere now Thank you Neal ! This visitation is not part of the court order, no. If she would at least pay for the plane ticket, that would be fine and dandy with us. Having us pay for EVERYTHING is just not right and fair

 

[moburkes]

Ok, we are getting somewhere now Thank you Neal ! This visitation is not part of the court order, no. If she would at least pay for the plane ticket, that would be fine and dandy with us. Having us pay for EVERYTHING is just not right and fair

Then, negotiate. He cannot NOT pay the child supprt. She can take him to court, and will win. OH child support goes through the state.