Looking for some advice

sigh973

Hi everyone.

I've decided to start looking around for information on my situation, I hope someone here can offer some advice.

Basically, I've got a son from a disastrous relationship. We were too young and it happened too fast. I tried my best but I simply couldn't live with my ex and the relationship broke down. She moved away with my son, and I moved away to start again (my career was in ruins and I was completely penniless). I got my life in order but did not make contact with my ex. Her family threatened me regularly after we broke up, and although it sounds very selfish, I genuinely needed to concentrate on myself for a few years, I had to rebuild my entire life.

Once I got myself in order and into regular employment, the CSA started writing to me. I eventually plucked up the courage to talk to them and made arrangements to pay them. Since then I've moved around a bit, done different jobs and not been particularly swift to update my details with them, so I've racked up a bit of areers, all of which I've arranged to pay over time.

I have now, 9 years on, finally got myself in a decent situation. I'm settled down with a wonderful woman (we're not married yet) who I love, and we've recently had a beautiful baby girl. Unfortunately my partner lost her dad last year, but he did leave her a nice nest egg. Due to recieving this money, we've both been able to stop working for a while. We decided that it's a unique oppportunity to really enjoy our little girl's first year, and also an opportunity for both of us to retrain for better paid work.

Now, I'll be honest. I have not told the CSA that I'm in a relationship and living with my partner. I've not told them about our daughter and I've certainly not told them about my partner's inheritence. I decided that, in my ignorance of the powers of the CSA's grabby little hands, it would be wisest to simply continue to pay them as if I was employed and my situation hadn't changed, rather than risk my partner having her inheritence raided. I also don't want my ex to know that I have another child yet. I've not really resolved in my head how I'm going to approach this, as my daughter will no doubt want to know her half brother, but my ex's family are rather unstable and I absolutely will not endanger my daughter in any way. Before you ask, yes I do have a constant pang of pain at not seeing my son and my plan is to one day sort this out too, but my initial priority is to protect my partner, my daughter and our current situation.

Can anyone tell me without any doubt whether the CSA can dip into my partner's inheritence were they aware of our situation? Also, when we're both back at work, will they raid my partner's earnings aswell as mine? Thank you so much for reading my story, and for any advice/feedback.

lauren_1

Im appauled.

Nothing constructive to add.

Sorry

McKneff

Can you stop for a moment and stop being so bloody selfish and think what
kind of a life your first child has had, emotionally and physically.

Words fail me.

marshmallows

hmmm 9 years so i would assume you would be on the csa1, in that case they will take your partners income into account , you arent married but i am not sure if that makes a difference. also not sure regarding her inheritance.

missmontana

""Can anyone tell me without any doubt whether the CSA can dip into my partner's inheritence were they aware of our situation? Also, when we're both back at work, will they raid my partner's earnings aswell as mine? Thank you so much for reading my story, and for any advice/feedback.""

I don't think they would be able to "raid" your partners inheritance as its her money and nothing to do with your son.

But now you have another child, the amount you pay the CSA will actually be a little less as they have to take into consideration your new child.

However, if you are not working and have no income as such, then there might be a nil assessment.

I'm not sure, but if you contact the CSA your claim might get moved over to the new scheme, have you looked on the website and done a calculation?

sigh973

missmontana wrote: »

""Can anyone tell me without any doubt whether the CSA can dip into my partner's inheritence were they aware of our situation? Also, when we're both back at work, will they raid my partner's earnings aswell as mine? Thank you so much for reading my story, and for any advice/feedback.""

I don't think they would be able to "raid" your partners inheritance as its her money and nothing to do with your son.

But now you have another child, the amount you pay the CSA will actually be a little less as they have to take into consideration your new child.

However, if you are not working and have no income as such, then there might be a nil assessment.

I'm not sure, but if you contact the CSA your claim might get moved over to the new scheme, have you looked on the website and done a calculation?

I have, and it does tell me I'd have nothing to pay, but there isn't a tick box for 'being supported by a partner'. I'd rather be paying something than nothing, but I'd rather not end up with my partner losing a percentage of her dad's inheritence as this money was supposed to be for her to improve her life. I'm not concerned about getting the amount I'm paying down, I think I'm paying a fair amount and that isn't my agenda at all, so my only financial concern is about dragging my current partner into the equation. The only thing I want to avoid is her money being taken from her because she is supporting me temporarily.

I completely understand the negative comments too. I didn't really take the time to write every detail of my story and how I feel about the decisions I made, as I don't really need anyone to tell me about something I think about every moment of every day. I just needed advice on whether my current partner could be affected. So feel free to give me both barrels, nothing you could say could compare to having to live with those decisions.

What is the 'new scheme' anyway? I thought the CSA calculate a flat 15% of your pre-tax earnings and that's what you pay. It's what I've always done.

sigh973

marshmallows wrote: »

hmmm 9 years so i would assume you would be on the csa1, in that case they will take your partners income into account , you arent married but i am not sure if that makes a difference. also not sure regarding her inheritance.

Sorry but could you explain what this means? I have paid the CSA for the 7 years since I split with my ex, apart from an initial 6 months of unemployment and the odd blip here and there when I was unemployed but didn't update the CSA. What is csa1?

bdt1

Beware, I also was/am on CS1, and at one point as a NRP was supported financially by my wife, we also have 2 children together in our household. My ex claimed many things took me to Tribunal and lost her case but then she enlisted CSA Criminal Compliance who have made a hash of the situation to say the least...........anyway

Be cautious, if on CS1, you will be given a protected allowance for having another child and partner in household, if you declare this is the case, but they wil lalso be asking questions regarding housing costs, if neither you nor partner working then they willl ask questions. If you do not submit your partner income then they will not give you any protected income and will do an interim maintenance assessment.

With regard to CSA touching the inheritance, if this money is in an account in sole name of your partner they cannot access this information, but if in joint name with yourself, not only can they look at account info, but in severe cases they can remove monies

Think carefully

bdt1

Sorry meant to add, if you not earning you will initially be given a nil assessment, but then, when the ex kicks off with this, the can of worms will open, unless of course a private agreement can be made with the ex

Kimitatsu

What date was your assessment made? If it was AFTER 6th March 2003 then you are on the flat rate scheme where you pay 15% of your net earnings. If it was made before that date then you are on the orignal scheme which takes into account your partners income and some of your household bills.

If you have always paid a flat rate then i would suggest that you are on CS2 and so none of your partners income is taken into account but your new child and any tax credits (if you have applied for them) will be. The CSA does not tell your ex that you have a new child they just send your ex a new assessment, whether you tell her or not is up to you.

Seems to me that had you not stuck your head in the sand then you could have had a nil assessment for the last year and just sent a voluntary contribution. Have you applied for any tax credits? You could still be entitled even though you have a lump sum to live off - only the interest over £300 a year is taken as income for these purposes and your child gets more in their first year.

Honest_broker07

I'm gobsmacked

I don't care if it happened to fast etc ( blokes always say that )

Actually at the point you split up your first concern should have been to support your child.

you come across as a complete spoilt brat, why would splitting up leave your career in ruins ?

I personally hope the CSA chase you up and make you pay up every last damn penny you owe.

and before you say "typical female PWC"
Nope I'm male and i'm disgusted by your pathetic self centred attitude.