child support standards in the DR

I'm surprised you got no reply to this--seems like you are asking very reasonable, straight forward questions. The board usually suggests Guzman Ariza as reliable lawyers (also forum moderator) but it doesn't seems that family law is one of their specialties.

I think the answer is probably much more complicated than in your country of origin. And if you are a foreigner there is that risk of being seen as a meal ticket. Try use the DR1 search function, and maybe repost in a different forum, someone may share their experience, if they are not able to provide the specific legal advice you are looking for.

First off are you the registered father? This makes a massive difference in the first instance.
Are you living here? another big consideration.
Do you expect regular visitation for the child?
Do you require the child to visit your country of origin?
Basically the law does not hold up on child support, domestics are left for those involved to battle out themselves, unless you are a super wealthy soft touch it will be left for the two of you to decide what is acceptable.

The more you want the more you pay is the basic rule. If you require her mother to sign her out of the country to visit you then expect to pay quite a bit, kind of what you would be paying in the US or the UK, 25% of your salary for child and then 15% for every other child up until 3 children and then the payment stays the same. But the varying costs on this are for someone earning well, if you are not then your payment would not increase after the second child. So 35-45% for two or three kids.

Here if you earn a low to average wage then the unwritten tends to be you pay the rent on a home for the two of them and then costs for the child ontop. Again this does depends on class, if you got a poor girl pregnant, the difference would be massive. Lets just say the girl is poor, on an average 1/2 bedroomed home for the two of them expect to pay RD6,500 - 8,500 inc bills. And then say RD$6,000 for the nappies and food for the child and clothing.

It is difficult not to be tough on her because she has your child but you must as she will be requiring medication and trips to clinic every now and then, you can not deny her this, even if it is a lie, if not you'd feel terrible.

If you don't live here, don't have the child under your name and passport number and have no interest in returning, don't want to be a father in her life then you can get away with whatever you like, there is little she can do once you are away, but if sure the child is yours then it's not a very nice thing to do, but pretty common.

Basically if she or you are not wealthy then the courts will do little, and you will pay whatever your negotiation skills, heart and head seem correct.
RD15,000 is sufficient for a mother and child to live more than comfortably in their own place (although you can bet she will pocket the rent and move in with her family) when she has a child to a gringo, if native then it would not even be RD$1,500. you pay 10 times the going rate, just coz you can!

The replies that you have received are accurate and fair BUT the best thing that you can and should do is ensure that your child is registered as a citizen of your home country. It is a parents duty to do this in order to allow the child hope for the future. Also I would make the negociated amount the lowest possible keeping in mind that you can always give more. Given the circumstances a DNA test would be in order. Congratulations on the birth of your child but Man Up.

I am a single other and this is just my opinion in regards to "supporting" your child. You are there to support the CHILD not the mother. Many Dominican women use these children as a means to go living on easy street. Unless she is taking you to court, pay for everything directly and make sure that the people you are paying acknowledge that YOU are paying.....examples
1.) RENT - get the name of her landlord "due?o". Call him and let him know that you will be paying the rent. Explain to him that you will be paying directly to him, give him your name and telephone number for any issues
2.) FOOD - you are responsible to feed your baby only, not the mother, abuela, tios, tias, and primos. If she will be feeding the baby formula, when you are there buy enough formula to last until your next trip. If you will not be returning for a while gave a friend of yours who lives there take her formula each week. If you have no friends there, last resort is to send un "tanque" from your country. If she will be breastfeeding, send her a small allowance to buy healthy foods, let her know that the money is for food so that she can eat sufficiently and healthy enough to provide breastmilk for the baby.
3.) CLOTHING - provide all of your child's clothing. Please take your mom or sister or other female family member with you to pick the clothes out
Same as with the formula, take the clothes with you in your trips or ship them.
4.) DAYCARE/SCHOOLING - If the mother does not work do not provide daycare. Once the child is in school, be in the country during registration period, YOU register your child with the mother, YOU sign the papers since YOU will pay the bill. Make yourself known to the Principal, school office staff, and your child's teacher. Speak privately or call the principal and let him/her know that you want to be notified WHENEVER your child misses school. Let them know that you are paying the bill and want to be informed. Arrange and pay for the child's transportation. Buy the child's uniforms and school supplies
5.) INSURANCE - Obtain medical, dental, and vision insurance for your child. Also, ask on this forum regarding good a pediatrician, pediatric dentist, and eye doctor in your child's area. Give the mother a sheet of paper with this information on it. Let her know the THESE are the doctors you have elected for your child since you are providing the insurance.
6.) Get your child registered in your country
7.) Visit your child as often as possible. If you are no longer with the mother, have minimal contact with her. DO NOT accept their offers to stay at their home. Get a hotel or take your child to a resort to have fun, do not just go the house to visit....take the child OUT of the environment for a while. Speak to your child in English, especially if the mother doesnt speak it. This way your child will have a better future and he/she will feel safe in talking you via telephone because if something is wrong he/she can tell you in English in case family members are listening
8.) Thank your child's mother often for raising your child. Even if she hates you and yells and curses at you just reply "Te respeto mucho. Muchisimas gracias por criar a mi hijo(a), te agradezco" (my spanish may off but you see the jist of it)
9.) Get a DNA test if you are in doubt
This applies only if the child's mother is the type to use the child for her advantage. Thereare Dominican mothers who think of their children first, this dies not apply for them, you should know which type she is. If you think she might take the rent money and get her hair, nails, and toes done then please do what I just suggested and KEEP ALL RECEIPTS AND INFORMATION. With these suggestions there should be NOTHING she should have to call and ask for money for.
If more expats men handled their children by Dominican women this way, maybe less women would be so eager to get knocked up by a gringo, with the family in the background singing "Nos sacamos la loteria!!!"

SHALENA

P.S. Just my opinion, and you know what opinions are like....

Shalena I think your advice is perfect. One of my neighbors son's is in jail right now because the mother of his child is mad that he wants nothing to do with her anymore and only pays his child support so this past Friday she went to the courts and said that he had not paid her in months. Unfortunetly here when a women goes to the courts and says that there is an automatic warrant issued for the guy to be arrested and he will then have to prove if she is lying or not. In this case she is cause the mother has all of the receipts showing he has not missed a payment however it is the weekend so they have to wait until tomorrow to go to court for him to be released. It is crazy how they keep no records of the payments so if the man can't prove that he has been making payments the courts take the word of the mother and the father is in jail. Both mother and father are locals. I thought he had died or something the way she was crying, but no just the thought that he has to stay in jail overnight has her very upset. I haven't seen the jails here but to be that upset they must be horrible. So to the OP if you are living here make sure you stay on top of this cause what you don't want to do is end up in jail over this.

Reese said:

Shalena I think your advice is perfect. One of my neighbors son's is in jail right now because the mother of his child is mad that he wants nothing to do with her anymore and only pays his child support so this past Friday she went to the courts and said that he had not paid her in months. Unfortunetly here when a women goes to the courts and says that there is an automatic warrant issued for the guy to be arrested and he will then have to prove if she is lying or not. In this case she is cause the mother has all of the receipts showing he has not missed a payment however it is the weekend so they have to wait until tomorrow to go to court for him to be released. It is crazy how they keep no records of the payments so if the man can't prove that he has been making payments the courts take the word of the mother and the father is in jail. Both mother and father are locals. I thought he had died or something the way she was crying, but no just the thought that he has to stay in jail overnight has her very upset. I haven't seen the jails here but to be that upset they must be horrible. So to the OP if you are living here make sure you stay on top of this cause what you don't want to do is end up in jail over this.

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Exactly, keep all receipts. Keep plane tickets, hotel receipts from the times you have visited you child. Also any shipping costs you may incur from shipping things to your child. Women are emotional creatures and do awful things when emotionally stricken. I myself have also pulled some of that sh*t in my younger days.
If you do not want to be with the mother, cut it off. Only call when necessary, and while the child is a baby only ask of the child, do not ask her how she is doing, how was her day, etc. From the gazillion sanky posts on here you can see that some women can take "How was your day?" and turn it into"I love you and miss you so much". Once the child is old enough to speak call and immediately ask to speak to the child, once you have spoken to the child, hang up.
When you go to visit, leave your car or taxi running. Pick up the child and go. If the child is not ready, go wait in your car or taxi. Do NOT sit there conversing with the family or the mother.

Also I forgot one very important thing.....
NEVER NEVER NEVER speak badly of the mother to the child. Even if the mother speaks badly of you. When the child,gets older he/she will respect you more and draw closer to you and will begin to resent the parent that speak badly of the other parent. If you don't believe me watch "Quien tiene la razon?" a few episodes.....

SHALENA

You may feel very different when the child comes along, I couldn't imagine living without knowing how my daughter is doing, seeing her regularly and being sure she was being taken care of well. I just couldn't live with myself, and so wait until you know you are a father and I'll bet your natural instinct to provide and protect will kick in.

At 2 months pregnant I wouldn't be paying anything, from 6 months I would make sure the mother is comfortable. I see no need to involve lawyers etc. I see someone knows of a person who has been locked up for none payment of support, but that would be a first for me, if guys were locked up for none payment there would be more young men in jail than on the street. Even after speaking to my lawyer about this he assured me that unless you are rich then there is very little motivation for any legal body to get involved, so that is a surprise.
It does sound like you are taking the easy way out of this, leave and then break up, you would be best to end this asap and the serious stress this will cause the mother will not be good for the mother. Being pregnant here and not knowing how the child was going to be provided for would be horrible and is very unfair on the mother, after all, she is carrying your child, she deserves enough respect to do this the right way, respectfully. Or maybe you should have wrapped little willy up before feeding him cookies!!
Apart from that the finances you intend to pay match my thoughts on this and so I agree it is a fair amount.
She will say some very nasty things to you, just try and understand she is desperate, she has no idea you intend to continue to support, as far as she knows you are just another guy who has broken off to get out of the responsibility. Be nice and just take the abuse, it will pay off when you decide you do want to see your child.

Anastacio said:

I see no need to involve lawyers etc. I see someone knows of a person who has been locked up for none payment of support, but that would be a first for me, if guys were locked up for none payment there would be more young men in jail than on the street. Even after speaking to my lawyer about this he assured me that unless you are rich then there is very little motivation for any legal body to get involved, so that is a surprise.

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Actually it happens more than you think. I don't know of any foreigners it has happened to but I do know of a few locals. Courts here is this area do get involved if the women persues it. I think one of the main reasons more men are not in jail is only because the women do not know where to tell the police to pick them up. In the two cases I know of the women knew exactly where the men worked so they sent the police straight there and that is where they were arrested. Neither one were rich. If you are at least 2 months behind the women can go to the court and complain and that is enough for an arrest warrant. But the OP has an advantage as the women in his case does not know all of his information to file a case against him. So it will be up to him to do the right thing (as it seems he plans too) and can determine what he wants to send which sounds more than fair, cause I am sure the courts would probably as for more. But I think you are right as well I think the OP feelings will change once the child is here. Knowing someone is pregnant and the child actually being here is a whole different story and changes the game all together so you may want to take all of this into consideration.

Do NOT continue a relationship with this woman if tour heart is not in it. It will only hurt her worse in the end. Despite what Dominicans may tell you, stress does not cause miscarriages.
But on the other hand, a child is not a puppy, for the love of God this child will be your BLOOD. So you can actually forget what I wrote before, that was my advice to MEN. My advice to sin verg?enzas is "wrap it up".
"best for all if I limit myself to providing a basically decent economic situation for the child"....Best for who?

Man, I have been bamboozled. I really thought you wanted the best for your child

SHALENA

Reese said:

Actually it happens more than you think.

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I doubt it, (my lawyer has been reliable on this topic) but hey who knows, maybe it is my imagination all these people I know screaming away as the father won't help but they can't do anything.

mm123 said:

Many thanks for the time you all took to reply.
I am a foreigner, will not be the registered father, the young woman is from a poor family and she doesn't have my full name, birth date and contact details in case she wanted to sue me.
I don't intend to the continue the relationship, and knowing that I will have very limited influence on the education and general future of the child just through sporadic visits and against the overwhelming cultural influence of its immediate surroundings, I think it will be better for all parties, if I limit my involvement to providing for a basically decent economic situation for the child.
At the time the young woman is 2 months pregnant and lives with her family.
One can never be sure, but I believe her to be a decent person who will provide as well as possible for the child.
Right now I am sending her PD 8000/month plus extras like physician, medicine etc. plus the things (mainly clothing, jewelry,medicines) I brought her on my visits ca. every 6 weeks.
She doesn't yet know that I will be ending the relationship.
I thought of -when informing her once back home of me breaking up the relationship- of proposing to raise her 'pension' to 15.000 PD/month, which would include all physician visits, medicines, lab work etc., payable every end of month upon receipt of an actual photo of her belly until the child is born, then a copy of the birth certificate, and from then on a monthly photo of the baby/child, until it reaches age 18.
I would adjust the monthly allowance every 2 years or so to reflect inflation.
I prefer not getting any lawyers, contracts etc. into the picture, as -no offense to any lawyers reading this- it might simply cause the woman's family to get ideas.
I don't intend to return to the DR (just in case).
Does this seem a fair and sensible approach?
Again many thanks in advance for your comments.

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Seems fair to me. Good luck.

Get a dna test mate!

In the DR you will pay from 3 months pregnant

SHALENA

mm123 said:

Thanks for all replies.
@ Anastacio:
What is your reasoning for suggesting not to pay anything until the 6th month of pregnancy?.

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You have to install it into her head that you are supporting the child and not her. Don't allow her to consider that she now has an easy life because you are backing her. If you are paying for her salon visits and new clothes throughout the whole pregnancy then she may lose sight of the ball and in the end your child will suffer. Remember she is probably the type to live day to day, aminly because she will never have had enough money in her hands to live alternatively, absolutely nothing you pay her now will go into preparation for the child, in one hand and out the other. She will only pamper herself and then once the baby arrives expect everyone around her to help out (which is what usually happens when a native boyfriend goes walkies) and you will have the initial bail out cash to set her up again (even if you bought this stuff now it would not be unusual for her to have sold it before the child comes along). You can't treat this like a game, a lot of your influence will determine the lifestyle, love and attention your child gets from the mother, allow her to be lazy now chances are she will be a lazy mother, take life forgranted. If you allow her to take you forgranted then your life could be very awkward as she will expect more and more on her demand, refuse she gets aggressive and then nothing gets accomplished and the child is in the middle.
You take control, I figured a while back I have to be a bit of a bastard at times to keep things from getting out of control. Demand respect and she will listen and respect you more than if you are a push over.

After reading this thread is my take correct? You got someone pregnant, possible question if it yours and if it is you only want to be somewhat responsible for the child?? Ok I will give you points for wanting to stand up and be responsible moneywise somewhat but my question is what about the child? It is not the fault of the child that BOTH of their parents were irresponsible and brought them into this world. I am hoping I am wrong and just misread the thread but how could someone sleep at night knowing somewhere out there they have a child. The world is cruel enough but please do not let this child grow-up wondering who their father is. Maybe this was not in your plan but letting the child know you love them is worth its weight in gold. Again maybe I am reading this thread wrong. I really hope I am.

keepcoming said:

After reading this thread is my take correct? You got someone pregnant, possible question if it yours and if it is you only want to be somewhat responsible for the child?? Ok I will give you points for wanting to stand up and be responsible moneywise somewhat but my question is what about the child? It is not the fault of the child that BOTH of their parents were irresponsible and brought them into this world. I am hoping I am wrong and just misread the thread but how could someone sleep at night knowing somewhere out there they have a child. The world is cruel enough but please do not let this child grow-up wondering who their father is. Maybe this was not in your plan but letting the child know you love them is worth its weight in gold. Again maybe I am reading this thread wrong. I really hope I am.

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You are not reading wrong, I am shaking my head also.

SHALENA

Apart from that, it is kind of your duty to allow the child her rights of dual nationality so when she decides to, she can walk out of the country, something her mother and family members can not do. She at least deserves that, the option to leave this nowhere place with little to possibly no future.