Help!!!

aconfuseddad

I'm new to this, but really could use some advice. I'm on CSA 1 and have been for the last 14 years, paying for 2 kids. In that time I have never been reassessed. Neither me nor the ex have contacted them. In that time I have re-married, have a mortgage and 2 other kids, and my pay has doubled. I pay the same amount the CSA told me to originally, but pay direct to the ex. My eldest daughter will turn 19 next month, but has been working for about 2 years with 1 day a week at beauty college as part of an apprenticeship. The youngest is 15.
I have rung the CSA a number of times as I think something triggers at 19. But have been told everytime that I would not automatically be reassessed when she turns 19. Reading through the forum I'm worried that this isn't right. Also been told reassessment would only be calculated the moment it is requested by either me or ex. Friend of mine has child, and paying CSA1, has kept CSA informed of every pay rise and new marriage, kids etc, and received a demand for about £8k even though he was not in arrears.
Can anyone help me here as to what will happen when my daughter turns 19 next month. Really worried i'm going to get a demand for a ridiculous amount like £20K or something!! Thanks in advance!

skibadee

Wow....don' know all the answers I'm affraid, I'm not sure you should still be paying for your near 19yr old anyway....it depends on what kind of apprenticeship she is on?
I presume you have had the relevent changes re carers elementt of CSA...which gets reduced age 14 and stops altogether at age 16 ?

The fact that you have had 2 more children would have an impact....and may offset any increases that may arise from wage increases.

I pray you marked the payments you have made direct as ' Maintenance payments for...........(childs name) if these are paid directly to exs bank account........if not you may have a difficult time proving the payments unles your ex is going to agree to of had these payments??????

aconfuseddad

Thanks skibadee. No change has ever been made to payments - CSA has never contacted me since the original assessment. They agreed to me paying ex direct, but no, the payment out of my bank is not marked as you have described. On my bank statement it just has her name. The last phone call I had with the CSA (i've rang a few times annonymously, but in the end had to give my details!) they confirmed I have no arrears. But if something is triggered at 19, they say it won't, then will they go right back to the beginning and take into account all pay rises changes etc?
I don't have a problem paying - at the end of the day they are my kids, but I'm worried about the amount I may have to pay.

nicky3

They can only re-asses when asked to. And it would only take effect from the date of its request. Also, with you having a private arrangement for payments, they wont be too interested. I would check the position re your daughter, and re-asses by yourself what you should pay. It sounds to me like your ex cant be bothered with the grief of the CSA either cos she has never bothered you thus far, she could have been putting them on you every 5 mins to check your position.

help_me_out

Hi there, unfortunately I cannot help but you could help me! Did you inform the CSA that you were moving house? I am also on CSA1, never been re-assessed but informed them I have now moved, just wondering if you done the same?

SuziQ

The fact that your payments never changed upwards when your pay increased (as you say, it is now doubled!) means you have probably done quite well, despite not having any adjustment down when your kids got to 14.I think I would leave well alone if I were you.

kevin137

Have a conversation with your children's mother, explain to her, that it is your understanding that the CSA payments for your daughter should f stopped when she finished school and became employed, and that by the sheer fact that it didn't that you have overpaid. Explain that you are not concerned by this, but that you think it may be time to sit down and have a conversation regarding the future, and that you suggest that it should be halved for the period remaining that your 2nd child remains in full time education up until his 19th b/day.

But ask at the same time, if this is ok, that you continue with it being a private payment, but that she closes the CSA case so as to keep any confusion regarding the paid sums and future sums to a bare minimum, and if she asks your reasons explain that it may affect payments if they decided that you had overpaid and they would claw that back from the future payments.

It is not about a reassessment and her getting more or less money, if they went through all the assessments they should of done, then your children would reduce the amount paid, and she would of been overpaid and the carers aspect as well makes it all very confusing...

sarahb

They were correct - a reassessment would only have been done at the request of either parent as you were paying outside of the CSA so you don't need to worry about them going back and raking over your earning etc from the intervening years.

If you are on reasonable terms with your ex, sitting down and agreeing how much to pay going forward sounds like a sensible idea.

aconfuseddad

Thanks everyone for your help.
Just another question - am I actually on a private arrangement here??
The CSA assessed me originally, and i have paid that same amount every month since. Originally by cash/cheque, then by direct debit. The CSA agreed to me paying the ex direct at the beginning. Does that make it a private arrangement?? The CSA have confirmed I am a case, but no arrears. Any idea when the payments will stop if it is a private arrangement? Is it when the youngest turns 19, or is it different for private arrangements?? Thanks in advance!

aconfuseddad

help_me_out I haven't informed them of my change of address. I still have contact with the people at my old address, so if any mail had come from CSA i would have received it. To be honest didn't think about telling them of the address change, as I was paying constantly without fail!

PreludeForTimeFeelers

aconfuseddad wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your help.
Just another question - am I actually on a private arrangement here??
The CSA assessed me originally, and i have paid that same amount every month since. Originally by cash/cheque, then by direct debit. The CSA agreed to me paying the ex direct at the beginning. Does that make it a private arrangement?? The CSA have confirmed I am a case, but no arrears. Any idea when the payments will stop if it is a private arrangement? Is it when the youngest turns 19, or is it different for private arrangements?? Thanks in advance!

You may have a private arrangement, if the CSA are content with you paying your ex directly, and you are both happy then my question would be is it worth keeping the case open? Would your ex consider closing it?

The case should still close when either the youngest kid leaves school or when they turn 19, normally the child benefit payments are used as an indicator here.

Of course with a private agreement you're free to carry on paying after the CSA case closes, or pay the child directly, whatever you want to do.