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Child Maintenance - How do you find out bonus for CSA claim

10 replies

Miniminimus · 20/02/2016 17:33

Hi - Sorry if this is in the wrong place. I have had a CSA claim in place for four years but it has not been reassessed in that time and costs of everything else are going up all the time. ExP has a management job, previously stopped paying maintenance for the 3 children and since the CSA assessment to sort that out four years ago, he claims not to have had a single pay rise or bonus. CSA says he has the 'right to be believed' unless I have evidence to prove otherwise.

The job adverts for the company he works for still list a bonus scheme as part of the benefits package. The CSA say if I send a screen shot of this in as evidence they will ask for his last 3 payslips to check or I can ask them to check a particular month if I know when the bonus is paid. If a bonus is shown on the ones he sends, it is taken into account in the maintenance calculation. If not, not. There is absolutely zero chance of him telling me which month!

The trouble is how do I know which months might contain a bonus? Is there a secret online list anywhere of which companies pay in which months? Would it be fair to ask whether anyone knows someone working for the same company so I can find out?

Sorry if this sounds money-grabbing, know a lot of people don't get any maintenance at all. It just feels unfair on my DC that their living standards are going down year on year and while ExP's are very much going up. If there genuinely is NO bonus, that is fine.

Has anyone else managed this and how????? On everything else I found the CSA brilliant but this (and company car tax!), seems a gaping black hole. Thanks in advance.................!

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AveEldon · 20/02/2016 17:50

If you google the company and when is bonus paid you may find out from various career sites like glassdoor

Usually companies pay after their year end - this is often April in the UK but some places may use Dec

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Miniminimus · 20/02/2016 18:28

Thanks AE - that is really good idea - there was quite a lot about working for this company (nationwide discount home and fashion chain) as a student but not many comments from management. Predictably I suppose - more company loyalty etc. Nobody mentioned which month bonus is paid in.

I'm wondering if it would be unreasonable to start a thread with a big list of companies and for people who know/work/have friends who work for them say which month they get paid bonus. Prob should post in AIBU but I am only occasional mumsnetter and looks a bit scary on there! And it's a bit of a niche issue I suppose. But I can't be the only one with an ex who resents paying maintenance, doesn't realise it is for the children (not for me!) and is not transparent about his income.

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KimmySchmidtsSmile · 20/02/2016 18:33

Well I will start the ball rolling....Siemens pay their bonuses out in January!
Start a new thread in AIBU and I will post this and YANBU onto it Flowers

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KP86 · 20/02/2016 18:34

Why can't CSA take his income from tax info? Surely that would show it?

Otherwise his payslip would probably say his annual income, even if it's excluding his bonus.

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AveEldon · 20/02/2016 18:53

Good point from KP86
Most payslips will show pay to date (not just the pay/tax etc for that month)
So if you don't manage to find out which month bonus is paid in, go for March as it will be the last payslip of the financial year

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cheekymonkeythe5th · 20/02/2016 19:44

Can you just call their HR department and ask? Nothing to lose? (Unless you think ex would find out and bothered about that)

Mine used to pay jan/feb because year end was December, don't think there are any rules

Wouldn't this show in hmrc records for year end?

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Miniminimus · 20/02/2016 20:22

Thanks everyone. Really good points. Sadly CSA don't use the tax info or P60 - it would make much more sense if they did. The new scheme that came in 2013 does, but we are on the old one and can't switch until they close old one.

I really want to put the reassessment request in now but if they only take last 3 months it will just pick up Nov, Jan and Feb. If the bonus is paid in March it wouldn't show in the accumulated amount on the payslips until the actual March 2016one.

So I would have to ask them to take March 2015 instead and look at the year end on that and then poss Dec 2015 and Jan 2016 just in case they pay the bonus around Christmas. It just all seems a bit hit and miss so was just wishing for a list of company bonus schemes somewhere on the internet. May have to hang onto March/April this year to be sure. You cannot ask for a reassessment every year, only if you have actual evidence that their income has changed. I think they are meant to self-report changes but there don't seem to be any consequences if they don't.

I will try ringing HR but cannot imagine what to say so they tell me! I don't know why but I think they would find it an odd question and if I explain why they might be protective. Don't know why I am so guilty and worried about it!

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twirlypoo · 20/02/2016 20:29

Just to add to the mix, a lot of sales based companies pay a bonus quarterly instead - I get mine in April, july, October and jans pay.

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Miniminimus · 20/02/2016 21:31

Thanks, this company is a big retail chain, I guess it depends on how often they tot up their accounts. On a personal level a quarterly bonus must be lovely for you Twirlypoo, not too long to wait for what you have worked for, sounds a great system.

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AnneElliott · 20/02/2016 21:32

You would think the CMS would ask for the P60 each year wouldn't you? Marks and Spencer pay their bonus in December's pay.

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