Maintenance to PWC stops when university starts?

AnxiousMum

I agree on the paying direct to a student in university. We did this with our first son, however, he only sent him the funds for about two months and then stopped. Because we had entered into a 'private arrangement' for that, they were only able to consider the outstanding arrears for the second son, and not the first. As it turned out, eldest son was then missing nearly £4000 that should've come his way, and that was budgeted for. Ex wanted to pay CS directly to son currently in university - uh.....no.....get caught once - fine, learnt from it, wouldn't get caught again and put my kid in the crossfire.

anh1904

Amazingly I found the order. It states 20% of net income until first child is 18 at which point it reduces to 15% ... does that, by implication, mean it ends when second child is 18, the wording is hardly clear.

I am happy to, and would much prefer to, pay the children some money direct to help them through university, but not to the ex for her to use while the children are away at uni.

Help thoughts and opinions all welcomed.

sarflee

They are nearly always ambiguous, as discussed above. Would your order mean that if your one of your children started full time work before they were 18 you still need to pay maintenance? It appears you can start paying 15% as of now and implies you stop when 2nd child is 18. It would then be up to the PWC to take it back to court if she disagrees with your interpretation and a judge would make the decision.

anh1904

That's my interpretation, which means I have been overpaying for nearly a year.

No doubt this will cause increased tensions with the ex, but in fairness she ceased to be my problem a long time ago.

mrsspendalot

I would interpret it the same as you have OP, that you pay 20% until your first child reaches 18, and then drop to 15% until second child turns 18.

I agree that perhaps stopping now, reducing to 15%, and then let PWC take you back to court if she has a problem with that.

anh1904

I have shown the whole document to a few people and asked for their interpretation, and every single one has suggested the same. It seems when my youngest is 18, it all stops (well, the payments to the ex, I will continue to pay the children through whatever studies or self improvement ventures they decide are right for them)

I don't doubt it will cause some discussion, but the difference in mental attitude to paying something directly to your children as opposed to a bitter ex partner is something I am very much looking forward to, and now it will be much sooner than I had imagined.

Thanks to everyone for pointing out the importance of the court order, it should have been obvious to me, but it was so long ago, and I never really believed I would be able to find it. All you others out there take heed, you have the information probably burried in the loft under several hundreweight of other paperwork).

:-)

jetta_wales

I must say I'm morbidly curious as to what your ex's reaction might be to the news lol.

Bad me.

Marisco

anh1904 wrote: »

but the difference in mental attitude to paying something directly to your children as opposed to a bitter ex partner is something I am very much looking forward to, and now it will be much sooner than I had imagined.

I can tell you from experience, it's bliss Imagining her fury is reward in itself:rotfl:

jetta_wales

Marisco wrote: »

I can tell you from experience, it's bliss Imagining her fury is reward in itself:rotfl:

How long before we get a telling off? Lol

Marisco

jetta_wales wrote: »

How long before we get a telling off? Lol

:rotfl: jetta, I tell you, if I posted up some of the things that woman did, no one would believe me!!! :eek: How the kids turned out as well as they have is beyond us!! I have never come across (and I've got a few miles on the clock, and been round the block a few times;)) such a nasty individual as her!!!