Gratitude is an Attitude you would be well to adopt
{I am having a problem collecting more CS from my son's father. Currently he pays me $500 a month for my 5yr old son and I have decided to put my son in a private school.}
While I applaud your decision to seek alternative methods to the South Carolina Public School System, I would have to ask in this case, if the newer method of Schooling has been agreed to by the father in this case as a mutual decision. Is it a school of religious instruction? Is it funded or subsidized by any religious or "Alternative Religious Belief System"? Is this Schooling one the Father of "His Son" would agree with?
{The father and I have never been married we just had our son together. I currently live in SC and he is in California. He is currently military.}
I have to ask myself what the motivating factor is here, with regards to complaining about one of our American Soldiers who IS Doing his part, not only for the Country we reside in, but also in Voluntarily Supporting His Offspring. All too often, the one receiving support for a minor child falls upon the Mistaken Belief that the monies can be used for personal and private debt relief. This erroneous belief is one that, more often than not, leads people into areas of accountability they do not wish to find themselves. Consider one who lives above or beyond their means and cannot show proof to Government accounting agencies as to how they support their lifestyle, since Child Support is not considered as Income for the Adult, but support for the minor child, you may find yourself being asked to provide "Receipted Dollar Amounts" and evidence that the monies you have collected were Not Used for your Own Support to the Detriment of your Child.
We have no court order, this is just an agreement between us. Everytime he moves up in rank he increases the CS on his own. Everytime I ask him for more money he gives it to me without any problems.
You truly should be thanking your lucky stars for what you have stated above, as those who are in the "Business" of "Best interests of the Children", can use all of this on His Behalf should this matter ever come before a family court, where you seriously will run the risk (%70 – 80 %) of losing your child to the father.
Since I have decided to put our son in a private school I feel that he should have to pay half tuition, uniforms, computer classes etc. $500 is not enough to raise a child on here in SC.
If the stated amount that you receive accurately reflects the amount you have to Survive on as Sole means of Support, you are correct, it is not enough, and you need to do your part in matching and meeting the received amount before complaining about monies received. Also erring on the side of caution here with regards to "Private" Expenditures not directly related to the health and welfare of the minor child, private instruction could be construed as an Unnecessary expense (where adequate public education is available) taking some necessary expense from your Childs well being to compensate for the expense.
{It seems like since he has this new girlfriend he wont pay anymore money when I ask for it. They are not married and have no children.}
It sounds as if you are attempting to show this man in a bad light for wishing to get on with his own life and find his own partner as you have done. I do see the word "yet" in your statement either. Can you honestly sit there are say that he does not have the right, as an American Soldier and as a Man, to find someone Other than the Mother of his Child (who has already remarried no less and is Not available to him) with which to share his life? Also, it sounds as if you are experiencing a bit of jealousy and animosity towards the possibility of His having a new love interest, which upon Discharge from the Military may cause him and his new spouse to seek custody of his biological offspring through "best interests of the child" advocates. I again would say, err on the side of caution in continuously seeking more from a Service Man who's wages are quite possibly Sub-Poverty Level before paying you!
I am however currently married but that really has nothing to do with it.
In most states, the Spouses income can be not be used as grounds for or against support monies awarded for the care and financial well being of a minor child. Such as your husbands income cannot be used as a reason to receive less, nor could his new partners income be used as a reason to receive more or pay less.
I asked him for more money and he says that he has a life and bills to pay there and refuses to pay me anymore.
In light of the current situation of the American Fighting Man and Woman (Impending War), it not only appears unwise, but also could be construed as interfering with Government Property if you begin a campaign of harassment or badgering him for monies not ordered by a court, especially if this interferes with the performance of his duties to America, and the government seriously frowns on someone losing life or limb over such interference.
He doesnt call his son nor does he send him cards. His son loves him dearly and he knows his father but he fails to communicate with his son like he is supposed to.
Here I would say that you need to define "Supposed to", and do so In light of His Own Current Situation. If you are unaware of what kind of stress may currently be placed on our American Military, simply turn on CNN, FOX, or any other headline news show, and you may see that in preparation for wartime actions, a card to his son, may not be the most thought about item in his list of "things to do to avoid death".
I refuse to let him take his son out of this state when he comes to visit because he doesnt call him. He does however send him gifts for his b day and christmas.
Your refusal to allow for his Visitation with his offspring can be construed as a violation of the Father-Son right of Bonding, especially in times of Imminent wartime situations, and if it is his Only Heir, you may wish to consider doing whatever it takes to allow the Man to spend time with his only son, before going off to protect the country he lives in! I would even go so far as to say that you are trying to "take away his reasons for doing his best", as opposed to "Giving him a reason to live and something worth fighting for" in this matter, and if he ever brings this to his commanding officers attention, you may well find yourself, and your new family facing a beast you would not wish to face.
{I currently have custody of my son, we have not went to court for custody or anything but I have had him since he was born.}
Custody and Support are 2 things that a Legal System of Justice are going to have to decide. I would caution you in the taking of any court actions in his absence especially in the light of the current military status, as what you may think you can gain in the front end, you are obviously not considering the long range view. It is not like he is in prison for criminal actions, but is valiantly placing his very life on the line to protect all of us in many countries.
{can someone help me out here and tell me what i can do to get more money from this ungrateful father}
In closing I would like to say that up to now, what has been seen as an amicable support of a minor child can be used in his favor, and you're seeking more from him as "questionable motives". As for the ungrateful part, well, perhaps you may wish to look at the caster of such allegations "motives" for such twisted and harmful allegations.
