Advice on child maintenance payment to ex-wife

Chris_P_2 · 29 August 2016 at 6:33PM

Hi all. We're trying to agree on a court order for the finances. I earn twice what she earns. Initially we agreed that I would pay £650pm, but i now think thats far too much.

Daughter 1 is starting school in a week. Daughter 2 goes to nursery, and after our child care vouchers I pay circa £350pm to Nursery.

We are going to have the kids 50/50. According to the child support calculators all i would have to pay is £66pw.

If i did pay her £650pm then I would have (after paying maintenance and nursery) £2,000. She would have £2,300.

Just looking for peoples thoughts please
Thanks

jamiehelsinki · 29 August 2016 at 6:53PM

If the calculator says 66 then that's what I would pay.

I'm in a similar position to yourself, my ex wife is doing well in maintenance from myself while living in the family house with a tiny mortgage yet I have to pay rent at double what our mortgage is for a shoe box and my daughter is more or less living with me.

The family home looks like it might be about to sell so I'm keeping quiet for the time being, if she finds out I'm about to re negotiate the maintenance she might mess up the sale.

peachyprice · 29 August 2016 at 7:22PM

My thoughts: If you really are splitting time with the children 50/50 why would she need maintenance?

I know it's not a popular view, particularly on this forum, but if you're sharing the cost of childcare, sharing time spent and sharing the cost of every day stuff like clothes, shoes, uniform etc., why should you shell out more?

Beckyy · 29 August 2016 at 9:06PM

Is the £650 including the £350 to nursery? If not then you would technically be paying £1000.

If you're genuinely having the children 50/50 including nights then sharing the cost of nursery costs any splitting other general expenses (school trips, uniforms etc.) sounds reasonable to me personally. £650 is alot of money, more than a part time wage for a lot of people!

kingfisherblue · 29 August 2016 at 9:19PM

£650 plus the £350 for nursery? That's a heck of a lot of money!

When you say that you are having the children 50/50, is that overnight as well? Child maintenance is usually worked out based on where the children sleep. If they sleep at your house one night a week, CM is reduced by one seventh. Two nights, reduce by two sevenths.

Who will pay for clothes, uniform, school dinners, external clubs such as swimming?

If you are paying the amount on the CM calculator, then that is your legal liability, but if your ex is paying for all the clothing etc, you might want to pay a bit more. Alternatively, you could put money into savings for your children when they are older. There is no requirement for you to pay more than your liability though.

theoretica · 29 August 2016 at 9:22PM

peachyprice wrote: »

My thoughts: If you really are splitting time with the children 50/50 why would she need maintenance?

I know it's not a popular view, particularly on this forum, but if you're sharing the cost of childcare, sharing time spent and sharing the cost of every day stuff like clothes, shoes, uniform etc., why should you shell out more?

If separated parents split the time exactly 50/50 then he owes her maintenance for half the time AND she owes him maintenance for the other half. This only cancels out if the two parents earn the same.

74jax · 29 August 2016 at 9:52PM

Isn't Maintenance paid to the parent who gets child benefit?

Chris_P_2 · 30 August 2016 at 12:08PM

Thanks Guy. Yes i will be having them overnight 7 days for every other week. And the £650 is in addition to the £450 (i forgot about child 1's wrap around school care). All food clothes trips etc will be split 50/50.

The family home is a big detached 4/5 house. She can only just afford to keep the mortgage based on me paying £650pm.

FBaby · 30 August 2016 at 12:24PM

If her wage is much lower could she be entitled to working tax credits that would pay a large element of childcare? When working or her income do you include any benefits she might be entitled to? Will you both be getting CB for one child?

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel · 30 August 2016 at 12:31PM

Chris_P wrote: »

Thanks Guy. Yes i will be having them overnight 7 days for every other week. And the £650 is in addition to the £450 (i forgot about child 1's wrap around school care). All food clothes trips etc will be split 50/50.

The family home is a big detached 4/5 house. She can only just afford to keep the mortgage based on me paying £650pm.

I think you are being generous. My ex pays me what CSA state. I pay for their school fees, clothing, activities etc from maintenance.

With all due respect, what would happen if she got another partner? Would you still make large payments for her to live in the 5 bed family home with her new partner? These things need to be thought about.

I think its great you aren't trying to weasel out of paying, but equally you need to consider your own finances. Now shes a single parent she will more likely to be entitled to working tax credits to help her pay the nursery already, so why would you need to pay this? She might also be entitled to child tax credits also as well as child benefit and your maintenance

Kayalana99 · 30 August 2016 at 12:45PM

Something isn't adding up here.

If you are legally supposed to pay 66 a week, that works out about £250 (lets round up)

Child payments is 20% of your wage, so at £250 a month that would mean you earn £1,250 a month.

So how can you afford to pay her basically £1,000 a month (including childcare) and still live?

ETA:

You've worked this out wrong so if you earn £3,000 a month (based on your orignal post) you should be paying £600 a month.

Advice on child maintenance payment to ex-wife

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