Tax Credits / Step Children should my income count?

Riversong

Have you gone through csa? Sorry if this was already suggested. But they might help? Sometimes mentioning court/csa gives parents a kick up the behind. Just dont leave their family struggling by demanding more support. He might not be earning as much as you think and pressuring him will only lead to resentment. Good luck.

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow

Tax credits are based on household income, regardless of who actually fathered the children.

bestpud

chocice22 wrote: »

I knew my post would rub people up the wrong way! Let me clarify, I have a fantastic relationship with my step children and treat them as if they were mine.

Due to my wife's ex being self employed in a cash-in-hand orientated business he has been able to declare only 1/3 of his earnings which means he does not contribute financially what we think he should.

We are much worse off being married and living together and working for a living than we would be if were living separately and if she wasn't working - she just felt that that financial burden is a little unfair when her ex won't pay more and the system the govt set up to help families is actually making it harder for us.

Therefore she said why should I be more financially responsible for her children than their dad in the eyes of HMRC. Just trying to get the system to work for us rather than against us!

Actually, the government make it easier for you, as child maintenance is not counted as income for means tested benefits.

Therefore you have the same outgoings as a regular family, but are actually £100 a month better off!

AnxiousMum

To be fair to the OP, he did mention in his post that it's his wife who feels it's the responsibility of both natural parents to financially provide for the children - not him.

I also tend to agree with him - my eldest two are the financial responsibility of myself and their father - however having said that, I think that any 'step' (I HATE that word!) parent would do what they can for any child in their family in financial terms. I don't know of any step parents who see their step children go without while their own are lavished with gifts.

bestpud

AnxiousMum wrote: »

To be fair to the OP, he did mention in his post that it's his wife who feels it's the responsibility of both natural parents to financially provide for the children - not him.

I also tend to agree with him - my eldest two are the financial responsibility of myself and their father - however having said that, I think that any 'step' (I HATE that word!) parent would do what they can for any child in their family in financial terms. I don't know of any step parents who see their step children go without while their own are lavished with gifts.

The tax credits are for the children and they receive more than a regular family on the same income would.

Plenty come on here and moan about the loss of benefits when a partner moves in, but few mention that part.

FBaby

I also believe that step-dads get a raw deal. They are expected to support their step-children regardless of their relationship, whereas step-mums (I'm talking about the usual situation, but of course could be the other way round) are totally protected from supporting their step-children, all this because one lives with the children a few more days than the other...

There is a big difference between a step-dad taking on young children when the father himself is not much present to a step-dad taking on teenage children who are very attached and have a close relationship with their dad. Yet the step-dad has more responsibilities to support these children then their own dad.

My partner is wonderful and taken on both me and my kids. I work full-time and support my children, but all in all, my partner provides financially a lot more towards them then their own dad who didn't contribute a penny for 18 months and now only £200. Yet, although my kids get along great with my partner, their fatherly love and attachment is to their dad who they see regularly.

Last year, I was under risk of being made redundant. I would not have been able to claim anything after 6 months because of my partner's salary. He would have been expected to support not just me but my children whereas their dad would not have been expected to pay a penny more. Like OP, it is not so much my partner who has an issue with it but me. I had my children with their dad, not my partner. Yes, my partner took them when he took me, but he had no choice but to do so whereas my ex and I planned our children together.

dseventy

chocice22 wrote: »

Hi,

I have no financial or parental responsibility for these children

Does your (current) wife know you feel this way towards her children?

D70

zagfles

dseventy wrote: »

Does your (current) wife know you feel this way towards her children?

D70

Try reading the rest of the OP. In particular:

she wants it to be their parents responsibility

LizzieS_2

chocice22 wrote: »

She just feels like supporting the kids should be down to their parents)

Why is she asking for Government help if she believes it is just down to parents?

When she was a single parent would she have been happy for her tax credits to be reduced to take account earnings from the father of her children who she no longer lived with?

Tax credits are based upon household income for those living in that house. There is no legal way to get more out of HMRC than you currently do.

neverdespairgirl

She certainly doesn't feel it's up to the parents - she thinks it's up to the taxpayer.