How far does your child maintenance go?

kelloggs36

LizzieS wrote: »

I wish those were the only costs, lol.

Obviously the clothes, the bed, the bedding, the heating of the formula milk, the bottles, the steriliser were entirely free - perhaps they got them given to them, but many don't!!

LizzieS_2

shell_542 wrote: »

Both NRPs and PWCs

In some cases it is both, possibly agreeing or more likely going to opposite extremes.
Usually it is one or the other. I deliberately didn't specify any as there really are a lot of variations.

One of the other problems is how people choose to live. Take for example a 2 year old car bought on finance. Now both parties could agree the car is needed for work. Whichever buys it, the other can say that the reason why money is short is because there are cheaper cars available. What I'm getting at here is the fact that neither (rightly so) have any input into how the other spends their money, but both can usually see little things that the other could have done better to avoid being short of cash.

Things get even more complicated when both then decide to move on with life and get new partners. The "I need more" or "I need to pay less" is then influenced by things either perceive the partner to be causing money to be tighter (eg a non working partner on either side is going to affect that household budget, but it is that households problem, not the child or ex).

shell_542

LizzieS wrote: »

In some cases it is both, possibly agreeing or more likely going to opposite extremes.
Usually it is one or the other. I deliberately didn't specify any as there really are a lot of variations.

One of the other problems is how people choose to live. Take for example a 2 year old car bought on finance. Now both parties could agree the car is needed for work. Whichever buys it, the other can say that the reason why money is short is because there are cheaper cars available. What I'm getting at here is the fact that neither (rightly so) have any input into how the other spends their money, but both can usually see little things that the other could have done better to avoid being short of cash.

Things get even more complicated when both then decide to move on with life and get new partners. The "I need more" or "I need to pay less" is then influenced by things either perceive the partner to be causing money to be tighter (eg a non working partner on either side is going to affect that household budget, but it is that households problem, not the child or ex).

Again, my situation is very unusual so my opinion is biased. I do agree that when an NRP family are making plans for the future most have to take into consideration the child support already set in place, although circumstances do change beyond people's control. Jobs are sometimes lost etc etc, just like what could have happened had the PWC and NRP stayed together and plans would have had to change.

In my circumstances I was already a stay at home Mum and we were already living month to month on my husbands wages when the PWC decided to involve herself with my family and bring another child into it (with the help of my husband of course, I know it "takes two to tango" )

Obviously I would rather none of us were in this situation were child support was having to be paid, maybe I do begrudge it, but we pay it because my husband accepts his responsibility. But we cannot pay money we don't have lol

LizzieS_2

shell_542 wrote: »

Again, my situation is very unusual so my opinion is biased. I do agree that when an NRP family are making plans for the future most have to take into consideration the child support already set in place, although circumstances do change beyond people's control. Jobs are sometimes lost etc etc, just like what could have happened had the PWC and NRP stayed together and plans would have had to change.

In my circumstances I was already a stay at home Mum and we were already living month to month on my husbands wages when the PWC decided to involve herself with my family and bring another child into it (with the help of my husband of course, I know it "takes two to tango" )

Obviously I would rather none of us were in this situation were child support was having to be paid, maybe I do begrudge it, but we pay it because my husband accepts his responsibility. But we cannot pay money we don't have lol

Job losses or reductions to income do change the assessments.

I can understand in your position that you had no way of knowing another child existed when you set out your plans.

As you say though, life changes and as annoying as it may be, you have to relook at those plans to see if they are still sustainable in the current format, or if you need to increase income.

shell_542

I'd love to increase our income but short of me finding a very well paid job, my husband working a second job after his 12 hour shifts or us finding very cheap or free childcare from somewhere, its not possible ... for the moment lol

LizzieS_2

Can you not do a couple of hours after your husband finishes work? Ok it limits the jobs you can apply for, or do work from home, eg ironing.

For obvious reasons, I am looking at you increasing the income rather than your hubby.

shell_542

LizzieS wrote: »

Can you not do a couple of hours after your husband finishes work? Ok it limits the jobs you can apply for, or do work from home, eg ironing.

For obvious reasons, I am looking at you increasing the income rather than your hubby.

Not at the moment, no. On days he got in last night just gone 9:30pm. There are probably pub jobs or shelf stacking jobs in the nearest town I could apply for that late at night but we can't afford a car, so I would have to work at least 2 hours just to cover my taxi fare. :rolleyes:

It wont be forever though. I will be out and earning as soon as I can, partly because if (heaven forbid) my relationship did break down, I do not want to be in the position where it would leave me pennyless and if (heaven forbid again) the CSA had to be involved, I had to rely on getting money from them every month. After reading the posts on these boards, it's made me even more determined never that I would never want to have to rely on the CSA:rotfl:

onetomany

can anyone tell me how many overnights stays are allowed before it gets deducted from csa payments

Soubrette

It is worked out on a straightforward calculation with the full assessment being 7/7 and each night (not day) spent at the NRP leads to a reduction of 1/7. So two nights are 2/7. 3 night 3/7 (and if they are staying any more then I think a reassessment of where the child actually lives would be in order!!)

However, the nights themselves are worked out over a year though - so my ex considered that his children stayed over 2 nights a week - however they only did that 3 times a month plus a one week holiday a year so that is (6x12)+7=79, so 79 nights for each child, so to get the full 2/7 reduction he would have to have them at least 104 nights per year (each).

Shel - what about childminding? Its a bit monotonous paperworkwise but can be a reasonable moneyearner. I must admit I was always put off because I was worried that I would pay more attention to the paying children compared to my own.

Sou

shell_542

I haven't. I might have a look into it though. Thanks x