Help with final SOA - in court tomorrow, help!

supa-girl

Hi everyone

Please could you have a look at this SOA and let me know what you think. It's hard to make it balance as if I put in amounts for clothes, haircuts, etc it would be in a minus figure. This is more to do with the way we manage our money than the fact that we can't pay our bills, because we always do, if that makes sense. Anyway, let me post it (this is for my partner btw, he is the one going BR):

Income after tax: £1127.87
Partners contribution: £425
People in family: 2 adults and 3 children all the time, 2 additional children once a week (his kids from previous marriage)
Other income: £0

Outgoings: (pasted from BR form)

How much do you spend each month on the following:

Mortgage payments or rent on your home
£695

Housekeeping (including food and cleaning)
£325

Gas, electricity, other heating
£100

Water
£36

Telephone charges
£13

Travelling to and from work and other essential journeys
£100

Clothing
£0

Maintenance payments and fines
£150

Council tax
£125

Other essential payments (e.g. life/household insurance, car tax & repairs)
£6.19

If there are other essential payments, provide detailsof these payments

Contents insurance

What I would add is that my income comes from maternity pay, maintenence from my ex for my child from pr (who lives here), child benefit and tax credits. These are the essential bills and I pick up all the other adhoc expenses as and when the arise such as clothes, car tax/insurance/upkeep (the car is in my name but dp shares the petrol costs as we just have that car and he uses it for work). I use my income and also I will sell the kids old clothes/toys on ebay....that kind of thing so we do always manage. Also my ex will contribute for our child from time to time, such as buy the odd coat, school shoes or whatever as and when he can

I am worried that the OR will think the bills are too low but if I put in the other costs on paper it doesn't add up, but in reality it always does if that makes sense?

Dp is in court tomorrow so I hope someone can help

SG

I am struggling with this, hope someone can help. We need to submit this online tonight

Zandytobedebtfree

Does your partner not spend any money per month on clothes?? The OR will question this. As 1 person living on there own, would be allowed an allowance of £45.

Also are any of the 3 kids that live with you, your partners or just the 2 that stay ever now and again?

Try filling in this form, as may be easier for us to look at -
http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

Regardless if you have a minus figure, then we can help you fill it in

supa-girl

Hi

Thanks so much for the reply

He doesn't spend his money on clothes as I pay for anything like that that we need - I basically cover all the adhoc expenses as and when the arise, he just covers the essentails with some help from me. I tend to manage the money stuff as I am better with it. He generally gets money for his birthday and xmas and tends to use that for clothes if he needs any.

He has 4 children - 2 from his previous marriage and 2 with me who live here. Only one is mine from a previous relationship....I know, it's confusing isn't it!

If I put in an amount for clothes, it will take us into a minus figure - as this soa stands there is a bout £2 per month spare. Even if I include all my regular income and then add in the car ins, clothes, car tax etc it gives a minus figure, but in fact we do manage because I use birthday money, money I make selling old stuff on ebay and my ex pays for some bits and pieces for our child on top of the regualr maintenence so I can use money I have saved for that.....it works out, but not on paper if you see what I mean? On paper we don't have enough to live on.....but we do!

SG

supa-girl

Ok, I have added the same info into the forms recommended:

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 5
Number of cars owned.................... 1
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1127.87
Partners monthly income after tax....... 425
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1552.87
Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured loan repayments................. 0
Hire Purchase (HP) repayments........... 0
Rent.................................... 695
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 125
Electricity............................. 50
Gas..................................... 50
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 36
Telephone (land line)................... 13
Mobile phone............................ 0
TV Licence.............................. 0
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 325
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 100
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 150
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 6.19
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1550.19

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 0

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts
Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Total unsecured debts..........0.........0.........-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,552.87
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,550.19
Available for debt repayments........... 2.68
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 2.68
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -0
Net Assets.............................. 0
Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using IE browser.

As I mentioned, this is my partners income plus my contribution to the essential bills. The car costs I cover as with clothes, presents etc from the remainder of my income which is made up of child benefit, tax credits, maternity pay and maintenence for my son from a previous relationship.

Any help/comments would be much appreciated as DP is in court tomorrow and this is reallt worrying/confusing me.

SG

tigerfeet2006

Is the child maintenance the same or on par with what he would have to pay with CSA or is it through the CSA?

supa-girl

It's not through the csa but it is the amount payable according to their website if that makes sense? He is not paying any extra each month but picks up the odd school trip/new coat....etc when the need arises and if we have the spare money (haven't put those things in)

sg

dalip

The only thing you can do to even it out would be to up your contribution,then put in something for clothes,ect. I am sure that when you OH explains to the OR why there are some figures with a zero he will understand.

I am not a believer in showing a deficit so i would leave those figures as they are.Thats just my opinion though:D .Dx

supa-girl

Thanks, dalip, that what I thought too

I may up my contribution by say £25 and put in £25 for clothes......

dalip

Yes good idea:D .Dx