Child Maintenance (CSA) questions (merged)

scoobydo_2

I must admit to worring now for when my child maintenance ends and my kids are 14 and 12 . I do work as a childminder but the money is not brilliant . How do people manage when they get help from child tax and working tax when kids are in education but when thay get older it all stops .. the child benifit . child tax and working tax xcredit and the maintenance !!!!!!!!!

HGLTsuperstar

So if you put the money towards your debts instead, you are saying you would not be paying anything towards your daughter's upbringing? If so, your "amicable" agreement with your ex, might become a bit more volatile. Why shouldn't you contribute, your other debts are a side issue, you have responsibility as a parent, and need to look at other ways of reducing your debts; start by posting a full breakdown on the debt-free wannabe board, and see what advice you get from others who have managed

stumpjumper

i thought i read that (s)he was happy to continue paying maintainance for as long as nessecary.... not stop because it was only an 'amical agreement' to pay off debts.

SueRob_2

Dealing with the CSA is turning in to a full time hobby for me. My ex told them I was an absent parent. They want £12000 in arrears, I don't own the money, I was the one looking after my son. But I can't convince them. I got the case closed a year ago, then my Ex wanted a holiday in Egypt & decided I should pay, so he managed to get the case re-opened. I'm now having to appeal the case all over again.
Sue

Skintmama

My father although divorced from my mother continued to contribute towards my early working life when I was an apprentice and very poorly paid. I am so glad he took this attitude, he even loaned me the deposit for my first home, which I paid back within a year. In other words he has continued to help me despite there being no legal obligation for him to do so-I remain always his daughter!
Please don't get the impression I have asked him for money, indeed I never have but I do appreciate what he has done for me. Although it didn't go down well with his second wife I am afraid.
So Mr Elephant, if your daughter needs your assistance (in a reasonable manner) perhaps to continue her studies, I would urge you to consider it.

alwaysskint96

scoobydo wrote:

I must admit to worring now for when my child maintenance ends and my kids are 14 and 12 . I do work as a childminder but the money is not brilliant . How do people manage when they get help from child tax and working tax when kids are in education but when thay get older it all stops .. the child benifit . child tax and working tax xcredit and the maintenance !!!!!!!!!

Get a better paid job- you wiont need to worry about childcare then. Why do you need to be at home for kids of school leaving age?

ReportInvestor

mrelephant wrote:

Upto 18th birthday if continues in education such as going to college or sixth form?

I have a friend whose husband has just stopped support on his 18th birthday in November, even though private school fees are due.

Inevitably it has affected his son's own state of mind in advance of important exams

hjb123 wrote:

someone has just taken their dad to court to get him to pay csa while she is at uni!

Well this is just the start of it isn't it?

Student debts are going to go up from average £12K now to average £22K in four year's time.

Are absent parents responsible or not?

waster_2

ReportInvestor wrote:

I have a friend whose husband has just stopped support on his 18th birthday in November, even though private school fees are due.

Inevitably it has affected his son's own state of mind in advance of important exams


Well this is just the start of it isn't it?

Student debts are going to go up from average £12K now to average £22K in four year's time.

Are absent parents responsible or not?

Well, non absent parents are not responsible for their children's debt when they go on to Uni or other higher eductaion, so why should absent parents be any more liable?

Surely this is not an issue of whether a parent is absent and not paying anything, but more of an issue of whether parents in general have a continuing reponsibilty to “provide” for their children when they pass their 18th birthday and leave full time schooling for full time higher education?

This, IMO, is one of those ridiculous areas. The Student Loan entitlement is determined by parental income. However, the debt and the liability of fees is the responsibilty of the student. I cannot correlate the two. If the child is the person responsible for taking out the loan and repaying it, as well as the fees for Uni etc, what the hell has the parents income got to do with it? Especially when the law currently says that a parent ceases to become finacially reponsible for the child when they leave full time eduction at school.

The reality is that it is just another way for the government to save money and for the child/student to become a pawn in a game over which nobody has real control!!!

nearlyrich

scoobydo wrote:

How do people manage when they get help from child tax and working tax when kids are in education but when thay get older it all stops .. the child benifit . child tax and working tax xcredit and the maintenance !!!!!!!!!

Yes just when you need it most it all stops:eek: but if they go away to college you don't need to feed them etc. Once the child leaves education they should be contributing to the household budget if they still live with you so it all works out in the end.

I must admit this year has been tough with both at uni, one in halls costing more than the student loan, and 2 lots of fees with no support from their father. Thank goodness I discovered MSE and learned how to make my cash go further;)

gilly41

Hi
My husband had the maintenance payments agreed through the Court way back in 1993 when he got divorced. His son was ten years old. When we married in 1996 we were paying £121 a month. This continued until his son was 18 and finished his A levels BUT THEN we got a letter saying that cos he was stopping on to go to University we had to pay through Uni.
We also had my two at University(hubbies step kids) and no help off their father! We have only just stopped paying maintenance at the ripe old age of 21 years.
Despite trying to get it stopped when he reached 18 the Courts were not interested.Just wanted to add that my husband hadnt seen his son for 10 years(nasty ex wife) and he had had his surname changed. The Courts again were not interested!
I am all for parents helping their children through Uni BUT MY ARGUMENT BEING that hubby didnt have a choice- HE HAD TO PAY. His ex had the choice of whether to pay out £100 plus per month to help out their son through Uni- I doubt she would have been giving him that money each month!!!
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news- but maintenance through the Courts doesnt stop til the "child" stops full time education- and this they class as full time education.