50-50 custody @ child support

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Hello.
I divorced from my ex-wife five years ago.
From the start we agreed that we would have 50-50 custody of our son, who is now 7.
We operate on a two-week cycle where we each get 50% of the school week and alternate weekends with him.
We settled all finances amiably and I agreed to pay child maintenance.
I currently pay her ~£350 per month. This is a fixed % of my gross salary.
In addition, we split all child-related costs proportionate to our incomes, which covers school bills, additional childcare, uniform, his birthday parties, etc.

The situation changed recently.
Previously I was the higher earner by over x2, she had no savings/pension and no assets. This is why I agreed to the maintenance as she would need it to sustain our son's lifestyle. However that situation has now changed and she has inherited a large amount of cash and assets, in addition to getting a higher salary than she did before.

So my question is two-fold:
1. If a couple shares custody 50-50, how would that impact child maintenance amounts? What would a court say if a couple did not agree on maintenance amounts? (this is out of interest, I'm not going to court!)
2. As her circumstances have now changed, would it be unreasonable of me to request we alter the maintenance? My logic is that, if we have equal assets and wealth (she probably now has more than I do), she also has a good salary well above UK average, and if we look after and invest in our son equally, is she entitled to child maintenance at all?
Appreciate your thoughts and advice!

Comments

  • returnofghandi
    Options
    Do you have 50/50 detailed in a court/consent order?


    I have 50/50 shared residence on alternate weeks, I claim CB for 1 child and the ex wife claims for the other child. Neither I or the ex pay CM to each other.


    Read this document and look at page 29 near the bottom.


    *****://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/672432/how-we-work-out-child-maintenance.pdf


    Put https where the asterisks are.


    HTH
    Sorry! Did the middle of my sentence interrupt the beginning of yours!
  • philo_baggins
    Options
    Hey G,
    Yes we have a consent order that we mutually agreed without the courts.

    The guide you sent is helpful, thank you. There are a few layers in here (I have a second child that I care for, etc.) so I may give them a call to see what they say as it is not a simple calculation in my opinion.
    The maintenance is worked out, then my extra dependent is factored in, then I think it is halved as my son spends more than 170 days with me.
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