Slightly unusual situation - SOA Help

Abitdown

Hi all,


I have my bankruptcy hearing booked for the 23rd of December and I'm just putting the finishing touches to my statement of affairs and I want to get this absolutely right.


A bit of background as to why it is not quite so straightforward; I have a young child who lives abroad. I see him around 4 to 5 times a year depending on school holidays etc and the onus is on me to pay for travel for both of us. This is the issue really; the cost of travel fluctuates so much... some trips it can be around £400 for us both, at other times it can cost nearly £1000! I can't simply put a definitive figure on it and I'm so worried that the OR will just see this as unacceptable and take this money as an IPA which would mean that I would be unable to afford to see him. I'm sure you can imagine how worried and frankly, depressed this is making me.


So far I have got this as a SOA:


My income: £1794
Partner contribution: £733
Total: £2527


Rent: £820
Housekeeping: £400 (including food, lunches, cleaning etc)
Elec: £80
Water: £40
Council tax: £145
TV Licence: £13
Mobile: £40
Fuel: £200 (150 commute, 50 for other essential journeys)
Clothing: £40
Maintenance: £100 (this is significantly less than the 15% the CSA would take as I have agreed with my ex partner to use some for travelling costs)
Travel: £300 (this is the amount I need to accrue to pay for mine and my son's flights etc)


Landline, internet & sky: £46 (combined package)
Haircuts: £20
Holiday: £40
Emergency fund: £40
Dry cleaning: £20


Total outgoings: £2,344




The trouble is, on paper it looks like I have £183.00 left over at the end of the month. The reality is, I never have ANY money left over as those figures above don't take into account the occasional meal out with my partner, friends & family, birthday & Christmas presents for my son & family etc.


Based on the figures above, do they look reasonable or should I be including anything else too?


I'd really appreciate any help on this. Thank you.

Johno100

So to be straight, you fly out, collect your son, bring him back to the UK and then at the end of the holidays you do the reverse? And this happens between 4 and 5 times a year?

Abitdown

Yes that's pretty much it.

KeepOnKnitting

Assuming you can keep the car, what about insurance, tax, mot, maintenance?

Abitdown

Although I have a car worth about £500, its currently SORNed. Happy for this to be included and sold as an asset in the BR.

I don't use it as I have a company car.

Round_The_Bend

I had a very similar situation to you and the OR permitted most and possibly all of the travel costs. It's so long ago (2009) that I am unable to recall exactly.

I did have a court order for visitation but presumably if you have some evidence to back up your claim, the OR will be sympathetic.

Abitdown

That is very reassuring. Thank you.

We don't have any court orders for either maintenance or visitation but I can show a number of years worth of history where this has been normal practice.

Abitdown

Just final bump ahead of my hearing tomorrow to check if anyone else has any feedback on my SOA?


Thanks.

CKhalvashi

Abitdown wrote: »

Just final bump ahead of my hearing tomorrow to check if anyone else has any feedback on my SOA?


Thanks.

Put it down, explain why you feel it's necessary if it comes to it.

It's in the interests of the child to see you, and assuming you don't live within few miles of Heathrow/Gatwick, should be cheaper than using BA's chaperone service.

If you can argue it's in the most cost effective way, I can't see a problem.

silvercar

Is there a way you can make clear to the OR that the child maintenance costs would increase to the full amount if you weren't allowed the travel costs.

Once your child reaches the age of 12 they will be able to travel as an unaccompanied minor, so that may reduce costs.

Abitdown

Well, seeing as all is informal, I wondered about putting the child maintenance down at the CSA guideline 15% (£270) and then the balance of the travel cost (£130) as a separate item within essential expenditure but relating to this specific set of circumstances.


Our agreement is that I pay £100 per month and then cover all travel expenses as part of 'maintenance'. If I stopped seeing him (which makes me sick just thinking about it), then I am sure she would (rightly) want the entire 15% paying over.


As regards to the unaccompanied chaperone, I have discussed this with his mother but we have both agreed that it needs to wait for another year or two. As much as he has done an awful lot of travelling in his young life, we felt that he was simply too young. More importantly from the point of view of discussing with the OR, his mother was absolutely adamant on the point that is has to wait.


I am pretty sure I can justify it as being the most cost effective way; given my financial situation where every penny counts I have always made sure that I get the absolutely best prices possible, even if it means flying out on the red eye and not coming back until late at night instead of afternoon to save £50.


As regards to the SOA; should I include for house insurance and parking (as a separate item to travel expenses)? We don't currently pay contents insurance but I think it would be worthwhile in any case. Would the OR look at this and query why we have only just signed up for it post BR or is that acceptable?


I'm really not sure about how much detail they'll go into. Is it like forensic accounting where every penny is analysed or are they fairly pragmatic about things?