New Assessment - Getting Worried

southcoaster_3

Hi,

I have been receiving voluntary payments of £250 per month for my son from his Father for the past 3 years. Unfortunately payments have now stopped (due to a difference of opinions rather than financial reasons).

He is self-employed but a high earner, will the CSA take into account the payments that he has been making as a precedent of what he can afford or will I get shafted by the fact that he doesnt give a true declaration of his earnings?

I really want to try and get a mortgage in 6 months time and really need this, its so frustrating!

Thanks,

kelloggs36

The CSA can not take past into consideration and if you suspect that he is likely to 'fiddle the books' then he is likely to get a low assessment.

However, you need to start gathering evidence of his true earnings - you can certainly use it as an indication of his income for an application for a Variation on Lifestyle being inconsistent with declared income. YOu will need a lot of evidence of his lifestyle and how much he needs to sustain it. Depending on what trade he is in, you could gather evidence of the earnings range of such a person by getting job adverts etc which show how much they are offering. It really depends on what he does declare - does he tell the truth to the tax man? My ex never did, but got caught out because he declared higher earnings to a mortgage company when he wanted a large mortgage! Does he own a house? go to the land registry which will tell you how much he paid for it (unless he has had it before 1997).

southcoaster_3

Thanks, thats good advice.

He has always gone to great lengths to not let me know where he lives as he moved to a different county after our Son was born. I do know though that he and his OH have just bought a new place. Problem is that she is earning in the £60K plus bracket as well so they could justify their no less than 6 (no exaggeration) holidays abroad per year.

Thanks,

kelloggs36

Mmmm, well he is just likely to say in a Tribunal that his partner finances their luxury lifestyle and he will win on that basis I'm afraid.