Child tax credit question

freebirdie

Hi


I am a single mum with 2 girls and have been looking at child tax credits to help me out, I also work full time. Me and ex husband have equal responsibility for them and their time between us is also split equally so they are not living "more" with one parent. My problem is that child benefit is still paid to my ex husbands account and he is refusing to change it in spite of earning twice as much as me and he doesn't pay me any extra for anything. So what I'm asking is would I still be allowed to claim child tax credit even though I don't get the child benefit paid to me so in the eyes of the tax office would I not be "responsible" for them?


Thanks for any help

Darksparkle

Who gets child benefit isn't a decider for tax credits although they do initially check the child benefit system for confirmation that the child exists.

What is the current split for children?
Where do children keep majority of their things?
Where is the child registered for doctor, dentist etc?
Who is main contact for school/childcare etc

freebirdie

Thanks for the reply


Its worked out that he has them Monday/Tuesday I have them Wednesday/Thursday and then fri/sat/sun is alternate weekends


I would say that the majority of their things are at ex husbands just because he has the bigger house.


School contact us equally we both get texts and post from school to our separate numbers/addresses - I don't know who is first on the contact list though. Doctors/dentists are done through me as I'm the one who arranges all these things.

Darksparkle

Those are the kind of things that tax credits may ask if you claim.

However if he doesn't dispute your claim to tax credits then it may go through without issue.

freebirdie

Thank you for the help I will phone tax office in the week and see what they say

nannytone_2

also just because he has them half the time doesn't mean he shouldn't be paying you maintenance.

he should be contributing the same percentage of his income towards supporting them as you are.
he earns more so should be contributing more

NYM

If the shared care is entirely equal, it is the person who is in receipt of child benefits who can apply to the CSA.

nannytone_2

NYM wrote: »

If the shared care is entirely equal, it is the person who is in receipt of child benefits who can apply to the CSA.

yes you're right!

just hope the ex isn't reading

freebirdie

"yes you're right!

just hope the ex isn't reading "


Yes I hope so too! I know that in my haste to have it done quickly he got off quite lightly - although he probably doesn't think so! but then again he didn't understand why years of emotional abuse would make me want a divorce..but that's another story...


Might explain though why hes reluctant to give up the child benefit in case it gives me leverage to claim money from him


anyway thanks for all the replies