Co-Parenting Child Maintenance

JamesSouthend

Hi Everyone


I have a co-parent situation with my only child and for nearly 2 years I've been paying maintenance which I gave above the maintenance calculator. This wasn't an issue at the time because she wasn't working and I wanted my son to be taken care of on the days I don't have him. To change this arrangement now would involve amending the Consent Order which I don't really want to do as everything has only just settled. I have my son for 2-3 nights a week, can I seek maintenance the other way round? Why should I be paying out for the time I don't have with him if it isn't the same the other way round?



My ex wife now has a good well paid job, her own house and car and is far more cash rich than me after our divorce.

It wouldn't be a lot, but it would be something and it would really help

Comms69

JamesSouthend wrote: »

Hi Everyone


I have a co-parent situation with my only child and for nearly 2 years I've been paying maintenance which I gave above the maintenance calculator. This wasn't an issue at the time because she wasn't working and I wanted my son to be taken care of on the days I don't have him. To change this arrangement now would involve amending the Consent Order which I don't really want to do as everything has only just settled. I have my son for 2-3 nights a week, can I seek maintenance the other way round? Why should I be paying out for the time I don't have with him if it isn't the same the other way round?



My ex wife now has a good well paid job, her own house and car and is far more cash rich than me after our divorce.

It wouldn't be a lot, but it would be something and it would really help

You don't need to change a consent order regarding maintenance as it reverts to CMS after 12 months.


Her resources are irrelevant.


The person receiving the maintenance is responsible for ALL costs for the child - e.g. uniforms, housing, medications, clothing, food etc.


To put another way the maintenance you pay doesn't cover all that, so conversely the maintenance you would receive wouldn't either.

JamesSouthend

I know the maintenance doesn’t cover it but should maintenance payments be both ways? Surely it should be I pay her based on her time with my son and my circumstances, and she pays me based on my time with him and her circumstances. It doesn’t feel fair that it’s one sided. Particularly with all childcare being paid for my side with arrangements from my family

Comms69

JamesSouthend wrote: »

I know the maintenance doesn’t cover it but should maintenance payments be both ways? Surely it should be I pay her based on her time with my son and my circumstances, and she pays me based on my time with him and her circumstances. It doesn’t feel fair that it’s one sided. Particularly with all childcare being paid for my side with arrangements from my family

No. You receive a discount for the nights you have your child.


Like I said, if you want to swap and have the child live with you, as primary care provider, you would be responsible for all of the above.


Obviously whatever you want to agree between yourselves is fine. But the law works as I've described

JamesSouthend

Ah ok. Thank you for the response

Deano777

look on the CMS calculator for what you should pay, include nights you have your child plus any children in your household (even if not biologically yours) to get what you should be paying now.