Just had a phone call from the CSA

McKneff

First of all, of course the money will not go directly to your son. It goes to your ex wife to help with the upkeep of your son.
housing, electric, food, clothes etc, etc, etc.

You cannot give this money directly to your son, it would then be classed as pocket money so you would still owe money to your ex wife for child support.

Dont let anyone talk you into a direct debit, if you want automated payments, set up a standing order. That way you have full control as to when it stops.

missbunbury

OK, here's my advice, given on the assumption that this is a brand new case (neither of you has ever been to the CSA about this before):

- Your initial assessment will have been done based on a tax return, probably your 09/10 one, and it's your net profit, less tax and NI, that they use to give them a weekly income figure so they can work out 15% of that which you pay as maintenance.

- If you go Ltd, you will be paying yourself a wage and have to supply wageslips to the CSA which they will use for a new assessment, which is likely to work out low as the wages will be low.

- If the ex knows that's what you've done (and it's not so hard to figure out, especially if she's on forums like this one, your directorship is a matter of public record), she'll get them to look at dividend income. If you are the only one taking a dividend then you will end up with the same assessment you have now as all the profit will be dividends.

- If what you're saying about 49/49/2% means you plan to pay half the dividends to an 'investor' who is actually a relative or girlfriend etc, then they will likely spot this and it'll be diversion of income, so they'll still assume you have the same income. If your investor is genuine and will be taking half your profit, that should be fine from a CSA point of view.

- You cannot pay the money into an account for the child unless your ex has told the CSA this is acceptable. A lot of people make the mistake of assuming they can do this, but in actual fact if the CSA tell you to pay them £x per month which they will pass on to the ex, then anything else, including just giving her the money directly, can cause you problems. Pay the way they say, even if you don't agree with how the money's being spent or how much you are paying.

- Don't worry about the twelve month schedule, this is standard. If at any point your son actually leaves school, you need to phone the child benefit people and tell them, don't just assume your ex will do so. When they leave after GCSEs, child benefit will normally still be payable up until the first Monday in the September following so this means your maintenance will still be payable up until that week.

- As others have said, once you are paying the CSA, you do not have to pay anything more, she can't be after you for trainers etc. But what you can't do (as above) is buy a pair of trainers for fifty quid then ring up the CSA and tell them you're not paying her this week, it doesn't work like that. If she rings them and says "he has bought trainers which I am happy to accept in lieu of child maintenance" then there are ways they can do it.

- Just on a personal note, and I'm sure you're not daft and have already thought about this, please please keep in mind the effect it will have on your son to know his parents are arguing over money for him. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of each side, it is horrible as an older child to understand that your parents are in a situation that makes them unhappy which is 'caused by you' - or that's how it feels. I'm not saying you are going to take it out on him or anything, but he is old enough that he can think this stuff through - when I was an angsty teenager, I used to see my mum struggling for money and the thoughts I had were always "this is my fault, if she'd never had me she'd be much better off" or "if they'd never had me they could have made a clean break and not have to be arguing all the time"; that sort of thing which now I'm a grown-up I can look back on and laugh but at the time it was always there. If you and your ex could possibly agree not to discuss any aspect of maintenance with your son in any way, I would do so if I were you.

mpg

McKneff wrote: »

First of all, of course the money will not go directly to your son. It goes to your ex wife to help with the upkeep of your son.
housing, electric, food, clothes etc, etc, etc.

You cannot give this money directly to your son, it would then be classed as pocket money so you would still owe money to your ex wife for child support.

Dont let anyone talk you into a direct debit, if you want automated payments, set up a standing order. That way you have full control as to when it stops.

Thanks but I'm aware it doesn't go to my son. I'm also aware how much it costs to support him. Another point is its an ex girlfriend NOT wife.
We split up just after he was 1 and I have supported him throughout. Up until he moved in with me nearly 5 yrs ago. He only moved back to his mothers 3 months back, Because I wouldnt stand for the drug taking and misbehaviour.

As I earnt a decent living she now wants a piece of that for herself.

A 16 yr old boy living at home does not need £500 per month. The system is unfair. If he moved back with me she wouldnt pay £500 per month...But its the same child.

mpg

missbunbury wrote: »

- Just on a personal note, and I'm sure you're not daft and have already thought about this, please please keep in mind the effect it will have on your son to know his parents are arguing over money for him. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of each side, it is horrible as an older child to understand that your parents are in a situation that makes them unhappy which is 'caused by you' - or that's how it feels. I'm not saying you are going to take it out on him or anything, but he is old enough that he can think this stuff through - when I was an angsty teenager, I used to see my mum struggling for money and the thoughts I had were always "this is my fault, if she'd never had me she'd be much better off" or "if they'd never had me they could have made a clean break and not have to be arguing all the time"; that sort of thing which now I'm a grown-up I can look back on and laugh but at the time it was always there. If you and your ex could possibly agree not to discuss any aspect of maintenance with your son in any way, I would do so if I were you.

Thanks for the NON quoted info.

As for the above. We dont discuss it infront of our son, Never have.
Up until a few weeks ago we got on great. I helped her move, picked her up if we had school meetings. The CSA was out of the blue.

missbunbury

mpg wrote: »

Thanks for the NON quoted info.

As for the above. We dont discuss it infront of our son, Never have.
Up until a few weeks ago we got on great. I helped her move, picked her up if we had school meetings. The CSA was out of the blue.

I totally take this on board, and sorry if I came across as assuming you were traumatising your son - a case of me spewing out my own issues irrelevantly I think! Sorry to hear things have gone downhill so badly, especially since it sounds as though the reason for this is not really much to do with you but more down to her circumstances having changed in other areas. Hope you get it all back on track soon and that your son does too - I was hideous as a teenager but we all got through it so there's light at the end of the tunnel!

McKneff

mpg wrote: »

Thanks but I'm aware it doesn't go to my son. I'm also aware how much it costs to support him. Another point is its an ex girlfriend NOT wife.
We split up just after he was 1 and I have supported him throughout. Up until he moved in with me nearly 5 yrs ago. He only moved back to his mothers 3 months back, Because I wouldnt stand for the drug taking and misbehaviour.

As I earnt a decent living she now wants a piece of that for herself.

A 16 yr old boy living at home does not need £500 per month. The system is unfair. If he moved back with me she wouldnt pay £500 per month...But its the same child.

So how much do you think is a reasonable amount each month to support him.

As for the 'its the same child' point, I know that but its the income
of the individual parent that is calculated.

Sorry I am maybe being personal too, my son, (15 years ago) was nearly driven to suicide by the incompetence of the system, 10 years later they offered him a sum of money as compensation for the inconvenience.:mad::mad:

mpg

mI dont want ot turn this into a CSA sucks thread and I dont think I have any answers to be honest. But I was reading about a guy who had split up with his OH 10 yrs plus ago when they weren't so well off.

He is now earning £8k per month with a succesfull business and the CSA want £1200 per month. I have friends who dont earn that much in full time jobs. How does a 11 yr old NOT in public school need to be supported to the tune of £300 per week.

PlayingHardball

£1200 per month is alot, no doubt, but if that is only 15% of your friends income, he isn't doing too bad if he is left with 85% of his income, so surely he doesnt begrudge this amount for his 11 year old child?

I can only speak for me and my situation, if my ex paid what he should be paying, it would have a huge impact on our daughter.

Surely you and your friend can only surmise what child support payments are spent on, unless you have access to the PWCs personal financial information.

I think too many NRP get caught up in thinking the worst. It does take a heck of alot of money to provide homes for kids these days. Granted, not as much as your friend is paying, but his income is at the highest end of the scale, not the 'norm'.

pupsicola

OP may I ask from when the csa contacted you how the process then worked. If you would rather not say that is fine. I am a parent with care who has just applied to the csa to help them trace my ex re maintenance payments.

It would just be very useful to know how things are handled with the non resident parent. Many thanks for any information

mpg

pupsicola wrote: »

OP may I ask from when the csa contacted you how the process then worked. If you would rather not say that is fine. I am a parent with care who has just applied to the csa to help them trace my ex re maintenance payments.

It would just be very useful to know how things are handled with the non resident parent. Many thanks for any information

At the moment I work nights and was woken at just past 9am on a saturday with a phone call out of the blue. The guy on the phone seemed very reasonable. Asked a few questions I was probably more forthcoming than I should have been as still half asleep.

He gave it to me straight this is the info we want etc.

I have since received a letter based on last yrs tax return with a figure that is way higher than it should be. Just because I made a profit in the first 2 Quarters of last year doesnt mean I didn't make a loss in the last 2 Quarters.

Since the initial friendly contact they seem to have toughened up very matter of fact and pushy. ( they may have been busy but to phone you up out of the blue pretty much demanding bank details there and then to set up DD I even told him twice I was driving at the time)

I have no problem with there being an agency for getting absent parents to pay for child support But did they just pluck figures out of the air.

For 10 yrs i paid my ex a set amount each week cash.
then for 4 out of the 5 yrs my son lived with me she paid me the same amount. Then 3 months after he moves back to her's she's got the CSA involved and I'm expected to pay over twice the amount her ex husband is paying for his child. Seems a little off.