Child maintenance calculator

Jeff.Jones78

Hello,

I have started talking to a Family solicitor as my gf is not willing to negotiate on the sale of the property...

One of the other topic is the child maintenance, I am trying to use the Government website and it is asking me to use my weekly gross income before tax and National Insurance but after pension contributions.

I am struggling to calculate it!
Is it a matter of adding my P60 pay before tax minus my pension contributions and then divide this by 52?
If so, that's easy but for the pension contributions, do I take the gross or net amount?
If it is the gross amount, since Standardlife only include the 20% tax, do I need to add the additional 20% paid for being an higher earner?

Thanks for the pointers.

Guest101

Yearly Salary - Yearly pension deductions (as per pay slip) / 52.

Gordon_Hose

I've used this one in the past - it's very good.

http://www.listentotaxman.com/

Jeff.Jones78

Guest101 wrote: »

Yearly Salary - Yearly pension deductions (as per pay slip) / 52.

@Guest101 - It follows my calculation.

So looking at the How child maintenance is worked out page (cannot post links), it states that the CSA calculator is valid for weekly gross up-to 3,000 GBP, which would -if my brain still works- be equivalent to 156k GBP (+Pension payment).

Am I correct?

My ex is stating that if the annual gross is above 104k GBP then you have to go to court as the calculator cannot be used anymore, which I believe is total rubb*sh as per the above calculation but I want to be sure of myself before replying to her.

Thanks,
J.

Gigglepig

Please keep in mind the calculator is just the minimum legal requirement. Depending on the circumstances, many parents still want provide more than just the minimum also after getting divorced. for example, continuing payments of school fees, school trip, nursery spaces etc so the child can have a similar lifestyle as before.

Jeff.Jones78

Gigglepig wrote: »

Please keep in mind the calculator is just the minimum legal requirement. Depending on the circumstances, many parents still want provide more than just the minimum also after getting divorced. for example, continuing payments of school fees, school trip, nursery spaces etc so the child can have a similar lifestyle as before.

I'm more than happy to pay on top for school trip and stuff like that but I don't see the benefit of giving more to my ex as I have no guarantee that it will be used for my daughter...

Guest101

Ok

Assuming you earn £104k and have 1 child, who will stay with you 2-3 times per week, you would pay £146 per week. (roughly £600 per month)

If DD stay less than once a week, it would be £204 per week, roughly £850 per month.

You would fall into the basic plus rate.

which is

12% of the first £800 weekly income
9% of the income from 800.01-3000 weekly

In your case - if it's £2,000 per week, you would pay:

£96 basic
£108 'plus rate'
- hence £204 per week as above.

You are correct with you're calculation that it's accurate upto £156,000 as the basic plus rate is upto that amount.

It gets tricky when calculating the reduction for time the child stays over. (which is why it is expected that the receiving parent should cover day to day costs)

1-2 nights a week, reduce by 1/7th
2-3 nights a week, reduce by 2/7ths
3-4 nights a week, reduce by 3/7ths
Over 175 nights in a years, reduce by 50% + £7.

Now since that would mean that the child stays with the payer half the time. Logically the costs should be split evenly and nothing be paid.
Which is why i said previously, your ex would be responsible for the day to day costs.

In truth, you probably need to make a mutual decision as to how much you pay, how often you see your DD and what other costs you'll cover.
(i really dont like that there is a financial incentive in depriving contact, but that's me being in a difficult place right now)

Jeff.Jones78

Hello guys,

re-opening the thread as she just opened a case with the CMS despite the monthly payments... she is claiming that it is necessary for her to apply for a mortgage...

Anyway, would the gross yearly income be made of my gross salary only or would any Capital Gain/taxable profit be also taken into consideration for the CMS calculation purpose??? So for instance, if I make 50k of Taxable gain, would that be added to my 75k gross salary or not?

Thanks in advance,
Jeff
P.S.: First long term relationship, first separation, really not keen to ever give it another go!!!!!

Guest101

Jeff.Jones78 wrote: »

Hello guys,

re-opening the thread as she just opened a case with the CMS despite the monthly payments... she is claiming that it is necessary for her to apply for a mortgage... - You need to tell the CMS you are already making the required payments (and send proof). The CMS will then say it's involvement is not necessary. Child maintenance is not an income, as you cannot be guaranteed to pay it (e.g. if you went off long term sick), so the broker has misled her

Anyway, would the gross yearly income be made of my gross salary only or would any Capital Gain/taxable profit be also taken into consideration for the CMS calculation purpose??? So for instance, if I make 50k of Taxable gain, would that be added to my 75k gross salary or not? - I'm not sure, but I don't believe so. Assuming the profit is not from paid employment.

Thanks in advance,
Jeff
P.S.: First long term relationship, first separation, really not keen to ever give it another go!!!!!

Don't worry that changes. Do you make any pension payments from your gross salary? - If not, you should be paying £174 a week (with your DD staying less than once a week) - deduct £24 per as above

Jeff.Jones78

Guest101 wrote: »

Anyway, would the gross yearly income be made of my gross salary only or would any Capital Gain/taxable profit be also taken into consideration for the CMS calculation purpose??? So for instance, if I make 50k of Taxable gain, would that be added to my 75k gross salary or not? - I'm not sure, but I don't believe so. Assuming the profit is not from paid employment.

I called the Child Maintenance Support and they are adamant that any revenue, which is taxed , will be taken into consideration to calculate the maintenance payments. So based on this, it would mean that taxable gain from selling shares would be considered as part of yearly gross income.

I am really not sure with who I can double check that as if it is proved correct, I will be really annoyed about it

J

Guest101

Jeff.Jones78 wrote: »

I called the Child Maintenance Support and they are adamant that any revenue, which is taxed , will be taken into consideration to calculate the maintenance payments. So based on this, it would mean that taxable gain from selling shares would be considered as part of yearly gross income.

I am really not sure with who I can double check that as if it is proved correct, I will be really annoyed about it

J

A solicitor or an accountant


As I say, I'm not sure. It's possible, but really how would anyone know?