Money Moral Dilemma: Should my husband pay back the Child Benefit we're losing due to his pay rise?

TripleH

I can see the point of having your own bank account but surely all money goes in joint one then you both agree a sum you move to your private account for you?

My wife and I have a joint account, we set it up when we moved in together. All expenses are ours.

MattMattMattUK

JayD said:

I am unable to relate to a 'family' that has separate finances. I consider fully committed relationships - especially with children - ought to have completely joint finances. Both contributing all their income and that income paying for all the bills and needs of the family.

It works because many couples have income that exceeds the needs of "the family". Mortgage, bills, family expenses such as food, home insurance, costs related to children, holidays, savings for children, etc. all come from the joint account, with funding amounts agreed by the two partners. They then have their own money to spend on whatever they choose, depending on their income that might range from a few hundred to several thousand, one might spend it on yoga lessons, wine and expensive clothes, the other might choose a more expensive car and attending sports events. What they spend their agreed disposable income on is entirely up to them because everything family related is fully funded. 

clibay

As the biggest earner (I presume?) over the £50000 he has no choice but to pay it back via HIS Self Assessment Return.End of.

Spendless

I think this is a really badly worded dilemma. Going back and re-reading it the husband hasn't put any more money into the joint account despite his recent pay rise, so is keeping more money to himself. First  how are you doing this joint account 50/50 split on  how much each bill is, in which case that's how you've agreed it, presumably it would still be the same if one of you started earning less you'd still have to give the same amount of bill money or are you doing it proportionately by how much each party earns in which case his should have increased? Then as the CB now needs to be paid back husband wants to use surplus money from the  the joint (bill) account to do this. Is there currently enough surplus in there to do this or is he seeing this as a bill you both contribute to either as 50/50 or as a %. The wife wishes him to repay it himself as he hasn't increased what he pays into the shared pot. I think you address how you both pay bills in the first place tbh before you decide which is the fairest route with repaying CB back

pickledonionspaceraider

erm..if it was family money when it came in, its the same when it goes out

retiringtoosoon

My wife and I have separate individual bank accounts, but all our money flows freely between them in order to fund whatever outgoings we have as a family unit. There is no his or her pots in a proper marriage. It’s all resources together for the benefit of the family.