Child Maintenance Payments Advice

lala9

Hi


I would very much appreciate some advice on how much child maintenance I should be expecting.


I will keep the key detail short so anyone who is able to help advise me can decipher the info with ease. I'm not after mega bucks but just lately feel I am being taken for a ride so here goes:


I have twins both 17 and in full time education for the next couple of years.


They see their father one evening per week but take the odd week off due to their work commitments ect.


They both have part time jobs.


Their father earns approx. 60 to 70k a year, maybe more.


He has two other child from new marriage both primary age.


I work full time for around 35k per annum I also have a primary age little girl.


I am given £325 per month for the boys in an informal arrangement and have done so for the past few years.


The boys are costing a lot of money, even though they have part time jobs, pay not great but its pin money for them to treat themselves and save a little.


Driving lessons, clothing, food, travel, college stuff (clothing, IT ect) general expenses, I feel this is quite overwhelming.


So, can anybody advise if I should be asking for more, or to just suck it up. Also, as they are 18 early next year am I within my rights to ask, although they are remaining in full time education for the foreseeable.


Any advice would be great on how to tackle this, thank you in advance. x

DUTR

On a calculator, the cms amount would be about £700/pm.

Accountant_Kerry

https://www.gov.uk/calculate-child-maintenance

He is paying far too little

Absolutely ask there is an obligation until after A-Levels or equivalent

PrettyKittyKat

A way to approach it, rather than just asking for more Cm money, is to ask him to cover some of the costs as well as the direct CM. For example he could pay for the driving lessons. It depends on how your relationship is and how you think he may respond to the question. I think also explaining the costs would help too.

tacpot12

He could also pay something direct to the boys to supplement their earnings. A hundred pounds a month would not be unreasonable.

If the boys want to go to university, they should ask him whether he will help with the cost pf doing so. The maintenance loan doesn't cover a lot more than accommodation, and with your income, the boys will not get the full maintenance loan anyway, so if they want to go to university, they are going to need some financial help from both their father. The more notice they give him that they need help,. the more likely his to be able to provide it.

jamiehelsinki

Without knowing his pension contributions you cant calculate what the cms recommends.
Is he employed or self employed/company director etc, if employed your in a stronger position.

lala9

THanks for replies everyone, sorry I've not revisited but Xmas got in the way. Now its time to tackle this issue.


Just to clarify dad is employed as far as I'm aware. The boys won't be going to uni, they will finish their respective courses in June 21. I live with my husband who earns around 50k if that has any bearing on a decision.


Also dad contributes 100 to travel (bus passes) once a term which I forgot to mention.


At what point should he stop paying, I think someone above mentioned while they remain in full time ed, they will complete their level 3 courses as mentioned above.


Dad is a very tricky customer, pleads poverty and will try and tie me up in knots verbally to wriggle out of this, I feel guilty raising this subject, I'm not grasping I just want what is fair for the boys and myself. LIke mentioned above even if he pays it direct to them that would so ease the burden on myself and my husband.


I'm about to embark on putting an email together but need to ensure the detail is watertight so any further insights would be really helpful.

Comms69

Maintenance (assuming no pension and middle value salary of 65k) should be 596.12 a month.


In all likelihood there is a pension, so it will be less.


Here's the main issue. You're looking at 6 months of payments - unless I've misunderstood your dates. In total that's Just over £1k.


I think he should definitely pay for his kids, and he's had it easy. But for the sake of a grand is it worth it now?


If you think so, I think you should simply send him a copy of the calculation and ask him to check it. I think there is a pressing issue in that maintenance will stop at some point, can your household survive that?

lala9

6 months? I'm looking for payments to continue until they have completed college which is June 2021. I'm not looking for back payment either. No pressing issue of our household dealing with the maintenance stopping and us struggling, we don't struggle now, both professionals with decent salaries, just looking for what is fair and not footing what is essentially HIS bill.

flanker6

lala9 wrote: »

6 months? I'm looking for payments to continue until they have completed college which is June 2021.

If your sons are going into a university course after college, I think he should continue to contribute.
Parents of university students (at least) partially fund their children throughout their degree course. Morally, I think the dad should contribute to this even when he's not living at home!

lala9

Can I also ask what implications does a pension have on this situation?