Tax Credits / Step Children should my income count?

zagfles

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

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

How do you know? She might be quite happy for her ex's income be to be used. She just doesn't think it's right that her husband's income should be relevant to determine support for kids which aren't his. If her ex married someone else, her income wouldn't be relevant to anything, CTC, or maintenance. Because they aren't her kids.

I think it'd be much better if maintenance payments were counted at income for CTC and step-parents income ignored. If step parents are kind enough to financially support their step kids then good on them, but they shouldn't be forced to support kids which aren't theirs.

Mollycat13

Let's say for ease of workings that as you work full time, you earnt double your wifes earnings.

I would also assume that your split of the bills would be on this ratio. i.e. for every £100 she puts into the household, you put in £200.

She may have lost the tax credits but surely she has gained as she now only pays a third of the bills whereas before she had to pay all of them. Of course there will be an increase in food bills but most other bills would remain much the same as when she was a single parent.

This saving she is making ought to make up for the loss of benefits and leave her with more money to provide things for her children. By that rationale, she is providing for them.

Shelldean

you'll also find that if the children go to Uni, and want to use student finance, then student finance uses the joint income of the parent and partner they live with rather than saythe incomes of their mother and absent father.

So if you earn a decent wage then any grant/loan maybe reduced because of this. In our case as only my husband (DD's stepfather) works it didn't reduce my DD application for grants/uni as we're classed as low income family.

Marisco

zagfles wrote: »

How do you know? She might be quite happy for her ex's income be to be used. She just doesn't think it's right that her husband's income should be relevant to determine support for kids which aren't his. If her ex married someone else, her income wouldn't be relevant to anything, CTC, or maintenance. Because they aren't her kids.

I think it'd be much better if maintenance payments were counted at income for CTC and step-parents income ignored. If step parents are kind enough to financially support their step kids then good on them, but they shouldn't be forced to support kids which aren't theirs.

What a strange way of putting it!!! What is the alternative then, the "step" works out how much gas/leccie etc he uses, and only pays for that?? Anyone who "takes" on someone with kids should know the score. I knew when I met my oh, he had two kids that he would have to pay maintenance for, meaning we would have less "disposable" income, the same with my SIL, my daughter had 2 kids, if he wasn't prepared to have a "proper" family life, warts and all, then he should have walked away.

That's not to say that the NRP shouldn't pay anything, of course he should, that goes without saying, but it is different if you live with someone on a day to day basis. Even something as simple as going for a day trip, it's obviously going to cost more than if just a couple go, so what would happen if the "step" was not "kind" enough to pay?? If people are not prepared to "pay", then the best thing all round would be to stay away from anyone who has kids!

clearingout

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!

some of us with self employed exs receive nothing at all in maintenance. And no new partner to help us out either!

zagfles

Marisco wrote: »

What a strange way of putting it!!! What is the alternative then, the "step" works out how much gas/leccie etc he uses, and only pays for that??

I already said what the alternative is, so no need to use strawmen. "I think it'd be much better if maintenance payments were counted at income for CTC and step-parents income ignored."

Anyone who "takes" on someone with kids should know the score. I knew when I met my oh, he had two kids that he would have to pay maintenance for, meaning we would have less "disposable" income, the same with my SIL, my daughter had 2 kids, if he wasn't prepared to have a "proper" family life, warts and all, then he should have walked away.

That's not to say that the NRP shouldn't pay anything, of course he should, that goes without saying, but it is different if you live with someone on a day to day basis. Even something as simple as going for a day trip, it's obviously going to cost more than if just a couple go, so what would happen if the "step" was not "kind" enough to pay?? If people are not prepared to "pay", then the best thing all round would be to stay away from anyone who has kids!

Yeah, no wonder there are so many single mums in the lonely hearts columns. And why the UK has more single parent families than any other EU country. People can't afford to have a relationships with them.

I know a single mother who lives with her sister. The sister acts like a step parent to the kids in every way, in fact they probably have a closer relationship with their aunt than they would with a step parent as they've known her all their life. The aunt looks after the children when their mum is at work, she goes on holiday with them, she is basically a step parent as far as they are concerned. But she doesn't financially support the children, other than presents etc and maybe some spending on holidays when she's feeling "kind".

And why should she, just because she chooses to live with a single mother? They aren't her kids, she didn't choose to have them. That doesn't mean she doesn't love them or care for them.

The only difference between them and a "couple" is the relationship between the 2 adults. Why should the financial support of the kids be different?

Carl31

dseventy wrote: »

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

D70

He is right, he doesn't fundamentally

However, you would think if he chooses to marry their mother, then he is also accepting some responsibility for her children, after all they live in his house

To the OP, tax credits assist those in need, your wife, and her children, has you to support her now. Obviously she will also be getting maintenance from their father, so you're actually in a better position financially than if they were your own children

Carl31

zagfles wrote: »

but they shouldn't be forced to support kids which aren't theirs.

we're not forced to, the non resident parent pays maintenance for their children.

That, combined with the mothers contribution should hopefully cover the childrens living costs, plus child bens obviously

If there's not maintenance being paid, then that's a separate issue

zagfles

Carl31 wrote: »

we're not forced to, the non resident parent pays maintenance for their children.

That, combined with the mothers contribution should hopefully cover the childrens living costs, plus child bens obviously

If there's not maintenance being paid, then that's a separate issue

CTC is affected by the step-parent's income, not by the NRP's income or maintenance payments. If the NRP is a premiership footballer or a stockbroker paying £100,000 in child maintenance this won't affect CTC at all. Yet if the step-parent earns a quarter of this is would likely wipe out most CTC.

[Deleted User]

But a single Mum needs tax credits to supplement their income and compensate for the fact there is only one adult who can earn in the household! Basically to survive! To expect 2 incomes and tax credits is just pure greed to me!