A method and system for re-direction and handoff for pre-paid mobile services in third generation ("3G") networks. A handoff marker is created and used for wireless mobile nodes such as Mobile Internet Protocol ("Mobile IP") nodes. The handoff markers allow the wireless mobile nodes to use pre-paid mobile services, have active communications sessions suspended and re-directed to a registration server when purchased pre-paid mobile services run-out. The registration server allows the wireless mobile node to electronically purchase additional pre-paid mobile services and immediately resume a suspended communications session. The handoff markers also allows network devices in a mobile network to determine between initiation of a new communications session or a hard handoff of an existing communication session, without adversely affecting pre-paid billing services.