Advice required re.student daughter's allowance

PeacefulWaters

If she gets the basic student loan (over and above tuition fees), lives at home rent free where she gets fed and has £10k+ coming her way she has more than enough to live off for 3-4 years of study.

If she wants more she can earn it. If working would be detrimental to her studies she has enough anyway and won't have time to spend.

FBaby

I think you need to be careful taking the attitude that because you work whilst studying at uni, so should she. Did you study sciences? Did you get top grades? I think the issue of working during Uni depends on a number of factors, but unless it was financially essentiel, I would prefer my children to be given the opportunity to get top grades than to work a couple of hours a week at least during their first year until they settle and are more aware of how many hours they need to achieve top grades.

FBaby

Just to add that my father is building a Uni fund for my children, but we will consider then if it will be best used that way. It might very well be that it will make more sense to continue to build the trust fund (either by my dad, or myself or both) until they are ready to buy a property and use it as a deposit. This is something we will discuss all together when the time comes.

Spendless

Could this trust fund only be accessed by your step daughter on reaching 18 and only on maturity? Is it possible that it has been surrendered early and/or the money already spent? Was your husband paying directly into that account or was he paying something else assuming the money was going to the trust fund.

I ask because something similar has happened to a friend of mine. A policy set up for their kids, hasn't been passed on when eldest reached 18, 2 years ago, youngest reaches 18 at the end of the year and think same thing will happen.

cazziebo

Yes, he should be making a contribution. If he was still living in the family home then he would be supporting his student daughter, even if that is just by providing the bed and board. The income of the PWC and partner is really no one's business but theirs. The daughter is still your husband's daughter.

(Again, why is it always the "new" partner who comes on complaining about child maintenance? Children are for life, not just until they reach a certain birthday!)

CH27

How was the trust set up?
What names are on it?
Who has access to it?

peachyprice

Dolce75 wrote: »

Our main concern, and I am at pains to stress this point is that the account that my husband has maintained for 17 years was put in place so as now, as my husband is now older and as it happens, forced to take early retirement, the worry and concern for funding her through uni would be lifted. I feel she is in a most enviable position, having had this policy maintained for these years.
Thanks for all the replies.

I can see exactly where he is coming from, presumably he provided adequate maintenance for her AND paid into the trust funds when when he was working and could afford it, he's done his bit to make sure she is provided for throughout uni, so why should he pay anymore now.

I would view it that he has paid her her uni contribution in advance. He could have paid that money into his own savings account and filtered it off to her when she started uni, the outcome would be the same, but this way she has control of it.

Either way I don't see why he should be expected to pay more towards her keep, especially when she has no additional expenses because she's staying home. It would be different if she now has rent to pay and food to buy, but she doesn't. He'd just be contributing to his ex's household.

74jax

Even though she is living rent free etc, it costs to put that roof over her head, she needs her lunches at uni etc, I think maybe a conversation with her about a monthly allowance wouldn't go amiss, maybe depositing £50/£100 a month direct to her for her uni books, food, etc might be the way to go.

I'm not sure if you are considering using the money for yourselves? You mention retirment and I'm wondering if you're asking if because she is living at home it's ok to use this money elsewhere?

millysg1

Just tell his daughter that you've been thinking and planning for her future for 17 years by putting money aside especially for university. It has now matured and is hers to use on uni how she likes. if she spends it all in one year and doesn't budget it over 3 years then that's a lesson for her but £10k should be enough for her. She is living at home and fees paid for, what money does she need but for books and social!

Just to say I did a science degree a couple years ago away from home. My parents Didn't give me any money and I paid myself through uni through the student loans, working full time in holidays (while everyone else went backpacking every year) and the odd couple hours through the term time.

I agree with the OP, I think its given me a great sense of work ethic that I have noticed my other uni friends who got everything paid for them, don't have.

Pollycat

74jax wrote: »

Even though she is living rent free etc, it costs to put that roof over her head, she needs her lunches at uni etc, I think maybe a conversation with her about a monthly allowance wouldn't go amiss, maybe depositing £50/£100 a month direct to her for her uni books, food, etc might be the way to go.

That's probably easier said than done.

Dolce75 wrote: »

As she is over 18, we have endeavoured to chat this out with her, as she is legally an adult and it is our intention to continue mediation with her, separate from her mother. However, we discover that she has withheld all financial information, possibly having been instructed to do so by her mother.

In the absence of a willingness to be open about her finances, I'd be unwilling just to dole out extra money on top of the trust fund.

I agree with peachyprice:

peachyprice wrote: »

I can see exactly where he is coming from, presumably he provided adequate maintenance for her AND paid into the trust funds when when he was working and could afford it, he's done his bit to make sure she is provided for throughout uni, so why should he pay anymore now.

I would view it that he has paid her her uni contribution in advance. He could have paid that money into his own savings account and filtered it off to her when she started uni, the outcome would be the same, but this way she has control of it.

Either way I don't see why he should be expected to pay more towards her keep, especially when she has no additional expenses because she's staying home. It would be different if she now has rent to pay and food to buy, but she doesn't. He'd just be contributing to his ex's household.