Child Maintenance (CSA) questions (merged)

kiwichick

helen21 wrote:

Well if the child is in full time employment i dont think he is classed as a dependant!

No me either.

Do you think the ex will be willing to drop the payments? He seems to be paying lots too, my OH pays his ex £130per month for his daughter. Its a private arrangement as we have 3 kids of our own to take care of too.

rchddap1

I agree. He's working now, so is no longer is full time education. Therefore, the maintenance should cease.

Bossyboots

The ex must be laughing her socks off. These payments can be stopped immediately as clearly the first of the defining events has occurred. There is no need to ask the ex if she is willing to drop the payments. She is not longer entitled to them, it is as simple as that.

jonimitchell

ahmilligan wrote:

No me either.

Do you think the ex will be willing to drop the payments? He seems to be paying lots too, my OH pays his ex £130per month for his daughter. Its a private arrangement as we have 3 kids of our own to take care of too.

OH was so happy when the payments dropped from £1000 to just under £300 that he didn't query it.

He also has another child with his ex but because this child was 18 at the time of the divorce, he pays £200 directly into her account every month.

Children are great but expensive too!

jonimitchell

Bossyboots wrote:

The ex must be laughing her socks off. These payments can be stopped immediately as clearly the first of the defining events has occurred. There is no need to ask the ex if she is willing to drop the payments. She is not longer entitled to them, it is as simple as that.

OH will let her know that this month's payment is the last, out of courtesy. I suspect she will not be pleased but hey ho. OH will pay money directly into son's account from next month onwards then.

Thanks everyone for all your helpful replies.

helen21_2

Gosh are you saying that both these children are in full time employment and your OH gives them £200 a month? I want to say Wow i wish i had a dad like that and how nice it is to see fathers financially supporting their children, sometimes we lose sight of the genuine, paying fathers!

jonimitchell

helen21 wrote:

Gosh are you saying that both these children are in full time employment and your OH gives them £200 a month? I want to say Wow i wish i had a dad like that and how nice it is to see fathers financially supporting their children, sometimes we lose sight of the genuine, paying fathers!

Yes that's right. OH has always been extremely thoughtful when it comes to providing for the children. I think that's one of his qualities that charmed me when I first met him I think had he not shown such decency about the children, he wouldn't be able to live with himself - and I with him.

Thanks for the nice reply!

sarahlouise210

If your OH is paying £200 directly into his daughters account and is happy with that arrangement then perhaps the way round it is to pay £200 directly into the other childs account as well - thus the money goes straight to the child and not via the mother (though he would give it straight back as the rent is £200 per month!) Another alternative to save money would be to explain to the children that as they are both working the payments will be reduced for both of them - £150 to each of them per month is still generous when they are working and would save you £200 per month.

Becles

My ex-husband left us in 2002. He's since paid us maintenance religiously every month by standing order direct into my bank account.

He's got a flexible income as he gets shift allowances, bonuses and overtime. Under the new CSA rules, he would be liable for 20% of his income for 2 children (I think!). We agreed that every April when he gets his P60, he'd work out what he should pay on the CSA website calculator, divide by 12 and give me that every month for the following year. It's worked great so far, and we haven't had to involve the CSA at all.

I've had a phone call this evening where he says he's in financial difficulties and is struggling to make the payments we agreed. His income hasn't changed and he's still in the same job, but his landlord is selling the house he's renting. That one had all utility bills included. He said the house he's moving to will be the same rent, but he's now got to pay for the utilities. On top of that, his credit cards are all full to the max and he can't get anymore credit. However, he managed to go to Tenerife for a week last month, and has frequent city breaks to places like Paris and Barcelona with his g/f.

If he does reduce the payments it's going to hurt me and the boys in the pocket. We already have a very tight budget to live on. I follow all the old style tips and work as many hours as I can, but there's never much money left at the end of the month. We can't afford luxuries and haven't had a holiday this year.

Where do I stand now if he does cut the payments? I've tried so hard to keep a decent roof over my boys heads and give them a reasonable lifestyle, and I'm damned if I'm going to lose it now!

Any advice would be very much appreciated, as I'm worried sick here

helen21_2

The only advice really if he is going to play by his own rules is to go through the csa, they will take 20% of his wage, but they don't half take their time!