travel costs

[blueboy]

What is the name of your state? CA

Last month child support was changed. Custodial parent and I disagreed on how much a plane ticket would cost. I researched and found prices at around $500 and she said she could get them for me at $150, we settled on $200. Now she says that she can't find them for the price she said she could and I am paying all travel costs. Child support was raised dramatically. I want to go back to court and change C.S. due to the fact that I am paying all travel costs and the price of a ticket is more then double what was agreed on in court. Custodial parent is not helping me as agreed, finding cheap tickets. Would it be harrassment to go back now, or do I have the grounds to go back?

 

[stealth2]

Unfortunately, you may have a problem doing that since you reached an agreement. Did you ask her for evidence that she could actually get those fares? Or did you simply take it at face value?

 

[blueboy]

neither one of us had atty's, and we agreed without judges assistance. The agreements was based on the statement made by custodial parents agreeing to help me get cheap tickets and now she wants nothing to do with it.

 

[stealth2]

So you basically took her at face value and settled based on that? I doubt you'll get any satisfaction by taking it to court now.

What are the two airports involved?

 

[blueboy]

LAX SEA/TAC

The tickets are sometimes reasonable, the problem comes in the times. The court order states that she can only fly during specific times and that raises the cost, and we didn't figure in unaccompanied minor fees wich are $100. On top of that there is only one airline that offers unaccompanied minor flights between those airports so they jack up the prices.

 

[stealth2]

You may also want to check Burbank. American flies nonstop to SEA/TAC for the same price as United out of LAX, but their UM fees are lower ($40 vs $60). Not a huge difference, but $40 is still $40. The times are comparable.

We split the airfare up to $250 R/T per kid, not including the UM fee. Sort of. LOL If I make the reservation and it tops $250, I eat the difference. If he does, we split it. Go figure.

Again, I think you're going to be out of luck getting it modified so soon out of the gate.

 

[blueboy]

Thanks for the info. I think you're right. It's just so frustrating. I didn't want to move, but military isn't giving me a choice, lol, and now my child support goes up. I think I'll just hold on to my reciepts for next year, she goes for a change in c.s. when ever she thinks I get a raise now, which isn't hard to find out. Onfortunatly our court order states that she has to go out of LAX because it's more conveintant for mom.

 

[MtnMoon]

What is the name of your state? CA

Last month child support was changed. Custodial parent and I disagreed on how much a plane ticket would cost. I researched and found prices at around $500 and she said she could get them for me at $150, we settled on $200. Now she says that she can't find them for the price she said she could and I am paying all travel costs. Child support was raised dramatically. I want to go back to court and change C.S. due to the fact that I am paying all travel costs and the price of a ticket is more then double what was agreed on in court. Custodial parent is not helping me as agreed, finding cheap tickets. Would it be harrassment to go back now, or do I have the grounds to go back?

Try searching for plane tickets at: www.1800cheaptickets.com.

I'm not sure whether your situation qualifies as a change of circumstance so that you may be granted a modification. So, with regard to going back to court, you might wish to discuss this with a law facilitator (they are free). Here's the website addy for California Courts Self-Help Center ~ Law Facilitators: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/lowcost/flf.htm. You'll click on the county to locate one. You'll also find court forms and other help on that site.

You might also keep trying to talk with your ex about the situation...in a cool and very calm manner. Since you'll be dealing with long-distance travel issues for some years, it helps to be as cooperative with one another as possible...as you probably already know.

Hope some of this helps!

 

[LdiJ]

I would like to add one more tidbit of information. Since you are the parent that is moving, and your job is causing the distance, its very likely that the judge would have ordered you to pay the travel costs anyway. So it really doesn't matter than mom was mistaken about airfares.