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13 year old wants to move in with Dad

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fburke

Member
What is the name of your state Massachusetts

My son is 13 years old and has always lived with his mom, my ex since we split up 7 years ago.. Now he is showing interest in moving in with me. My life is stable I own my own house am remarried with a 4 year old and one on the way, his mom is also remarried with a new baby.

My financial situation is much more stable then hers, I have a good job my spouse does also. We own 2 homes our primary in a nice neighborhood with a yard ect.

I have always been good to my son and a big part of his life as he has been a part of ours.

My ex lives in a small 2 bedroom apartment in the downtown area in the small town she lives in doesn’t have the best job and her new husband is always getting fired from one job or another and they barley get by. My son at his age knows way too much about there financial situation that I believe any child should know about.

Now I know my ex rather than look at giving our son a more stable life will instead look at the large chunk of child support she would loose.

At his age, if my ex does not agree to let him move willingly, would my son have any say? I am not looking for a blood bath and putting any of us through a custody battle because in the end I always think it’s the child that looses.

I don’t always agree with what she does and how she handles her life or my son’s upbringing how ever for the most part she hasn’t been bad to him other then him seeing there financial hardships.

I just think I have more to offer him at this point especially starting the teenage years. He’s a good kid so far and I just want him to spend some time with me as he grows.

My relationship has always been pretty civil other than her animosity toward me for making something out of my life, however I have always paid my support with no issues. But I know if I present this to her she will try to fight tooth and nail.

We have actually never gone to court other then to have our original custody / child support agreements approved and we both just represented ourselves after having attorneys review the paperwork.


I just want to know if he has the rite as his age to make this choice, i know the courts have a habit of favoring the mother.
 


Humusluvr

Senior Member
I just want to know if he has the rite as his age to make this choice, i know the courts have a habit of favoring the mother.
The courts favor status quo. The child does not get to choose where he lives. The court order does.

When the child turns 18, he can then decide - unless you and mom can come to an agreement.
 

stealth2

Under the Radar Member
Ditto Humus. Also... nothing you wrote indicates any reason for a court to change custody. Your son's wishes alone are unlikely to force the change absent an agreement. And... there is nothing inherently wrong with a child knowing that money is tight. If there were, poor families all over the country would be losing their children to the state.
 

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