CSA 1 Questions.....

DACC

I just wanted to say that this section, without doubt, offers the best CSA advice on the internet, it's so difficult to get it elsewhere and I've learned a lot already, so thanks.

I'd also like to say that I do feel sorry for mums and dads who don't get the money they should from their ex-partners.

Anyway, my questions. I'm a CSA1'er and have been paying on time for 13 years, I've had issues with bits and bobs here and there but I've just battled through and paid what I was told to pay. I'm trying to plan the rest of my life and would appreciate answers/advice to the following questions.

1. If I marry my GF who is on a higher wage than me - will the CSA take into account her wages? I'm 25K she is £32K

2. My GF is pregnant (hurray! ) will the CSA make a deduction from my CSA payment when the baby is born? and would it offset the payment increase, if any, mentioned in question 1.

Whilst this may seem like I'm trying to get out of paying more money, I have no guilt about that due to the total and utter unfairness of the state running CSA1 and 2 at the same time. The GF and I need to make practical choices and if it isn't going to be financially in our interest to get married then we won't.

Thanks for your help ladies and gents.

shoe*diva79

You dont have to inform them of your GF salary but they can assume. Its when they work out the housing costs so if they know her salary they can make fair assessment as to if she can afford a % of the rent/mortgage or if your salary alone has to cover it. Your assessment could increase, but it wont be *because of her wages* it will be because you are deemed as having more disposable income as you would share bills.

Congratulations on your impending arrival. I dont believe the CSA make reductions for other children on CSA1 but hopefully someone more knowledgable will confirm/denty soon.

Marisco

CSA1 is a nightmare, but to answer one question, yes, they will take your gf's income into account. You will get people say they don't, but they do! It's not "blatent" though, but what they do is assume that she pays half the housing costs, so you will have more disposable income to grab from.

So say, for easy figures you get £1000 per month and your housing costs are £500, so that leaves you with £500 disposable income (there are other things they allow for, but I'll keep it simple) that is assessable. With your gf's income, she will be deemed to pay half, so you then have £750 disposable income to grab from. This is how they worked it with oh and myself anyway, it might have changed now mind, this was in the mid 90's.

If you are living together, your gf's income will already be used, (assuming you've told them you're living together) If you were on CSA2 it would be a straight 15% (for one child) and her income is disregarded, and the best of CSA2 as well, is that any tax credits you get would not be included as income, as she earns more than you. I've no idea about the disregard for your child (if there is one) on CSA1, but on CSA2 it would be 15%, so your assessment would be on 85% of your wage.

Marisco

shoe*diva79 wrote: »

You dont have to inform them of your GF salary but they can assume. Its when they work out the housing costs so if they know her salary they can make fair assessment as to if she can afford a % of the rent/mortgage or if your salary alone has to cover it. Your assessment could increase, but it wont be *because of her wages* it will be because you are deemed as having more disposable income as you would share bills.

Congratulations on your impending arrival. I dont believe the CSA make reductions for other children on CSA1 but hopefully someone more knowledgable will confirm/denty soon.

Of course it's because of her wages! How else would he have more disposable income?

DACC

Marisco,

Thanks for your reply.

I did inform the CSA that I moved addresses but didn't tell them I was co-habitating with my partner, I didn't think that it mattered to them unless I was married?

Probably wrong there but again i don't feel guilty, I've paid my way on CSA1.

shoe*diva79

DACC wrote: »

Marisco,

Thanks for your reply.

I did inform the CSA that I moved addresses but didn't tell them I was co-habitating with my partner, I didn't think that it mattered to them unless I was married?

Probably wrong there but again i don't feel guilty, I've paid my way on CSA1.

Be very careful you dont end up with a backdated assessment which leads to arrears on your account.

Crellow4

What Marisco has said is not entirely correct. Your GF income CAN be used to attribute housing costs in our Exempt Income calculation - but only if the PWC asks for a Departure to do this. In the baseline calculation your GF will be deemed to be able to make a 50% contribution to your joint child when it arrives - you will be allowed a premium for having a dependant child along with a family premium, but both will be halved because your GF works. Other than that, your GF's income will make no difference to your liability - unless the PWC applies for a Departure on the basis that she can contribute to housing costs.

kelloggs36

firstly, I would tell them about the GF, but at the intial stage, NOT how much she earns as they normally assume 50/50 split of housing costs - which would be better for you than if they know about her earnings. When they know about her income, then they will split it according to your earnings - so it frees up more of your money to use in the assessment. It can be done outside of a departure - as soon as they know about her then they will do the calculation. A departure can be used where the PWC wants the NRPP to have the housing costs apportioned to them, and then the CSA can assume that the NRPP can afford all of them thus taking all away from the NRP which frees up even more money. If this looks likely, then it is worth giving them her income details as they then have to apportion exactly to how much you both earn.

Crellow4

The CSA will NOT apportion housing costs in way unless the PWC applies for a Departure. What you are saying is simply not true.

kelloggs36

I'm sure they do - they will do an interim assessment cat B as they don't have her details. I may however, be mistaken in the housing costs but they certainly can do it.

Crellow4

An IMA cat B will simply mean that only 2 of 3 calculations is made - those being 30% of nett income and the Exempt Income calculation. The NRP will be awarded all of the housing costs (possibly restricted to half his nett income), none of the costs will be apportioned to his GF unless a Departure is sought.