A Child's Travel Expenses Between Homes

Long-distance parenting adds a real cost — and a real source of disputes. Spell it out and the fights disappear.

Booking and cost

Specify the airline class, carriers, and an advance-booking window (often 21+ days); for driving, use a flat per-trip amount or the IRS mileage rate with toll and parking receipts. Allocate cost by a clear rule — 50/50, proportional to income, or "mover pays" — with an annual cap and a review clause if fares spike, benchmarked against reasonable fares.

Safety and deadlines

Address airline escort services for younger children and who pays, prefer direct flights for teens, and require written permission for connections. Set bright-line reimbursement deadlines — receipts within 30 days, and a failure to provide them within 60 days forfeits that trip — and keep tickets and invoices in a shared folder.

Don't double-count

Decide up front whether travel is handled as a monthly credit, a seasonal adjustment, or separate reimbursements, and state the method in the order so it isn't counted twice against support.

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