Fair amount of maintenance for 17 year old

[Savagebeauty]

Divorced 18 months ago. It was agreed would stay in family home and ex would pay half of bills and upkeep of house, plus money for DC.
House has just sold and so ex will just pay for ds. He takes a salary of £25000 but has access to much more.
Looking at CSA calculator, that's about £60 a week to pay.
He never has ds overnight and pays half of any school trips separately.
He's just asked how much I want going forward.
Is £60 reasonable?

[Fourormore]

What do you mean by "has access to much more"?

[lifeisunjust]

The UK has its "access" to children just all wrong.
I live outside the UK, the system is far simpler.
50/50 is the default, you have to either not want to have your children 50% to have less, exceptions of course when it comes to safety when parents a danger to their children are not allowed access to their children.
For moving away, nope, not without the consent of the other parent, surprisingly few try, less conflict.
Maintenance for those with lower income and 50/50 care, yep.
Maintenance not paid, well the equivalent of CMS is quite effective and actually pays a considerable proportion of unpaid maintenance to the parent so the children doesn't lose out then goes for the jugular with custodial sentences for non payers and taking directly from salary for those with one.
Deliberate reduction of income to avoid maintenance, nope not allowed, your maintenance gets based on previous income, not surprisingly less conflict, most don't try as they know they cannot get away with it.

So yes to avoid conflict, meet in between, but at what point do you keep bending over backwards to suit "fun parent"?

[lifeisunjust]

Oops replied to the wrong thread!

How much does your 17 year old cost you? I managed to squeeze 8% of my husband's net income out of him for each child, it pays however for only 35% of the children's costs, I pay for 65% of their costs on a smaller income.

It's impossible to say how much would be considered fair without knowing if your ex has other children he has to pay for, what your incomes are and how much your 17 year old costs.

[Savagebeauty]

He has own company and himself a deliberately low salary. Takes dividends to boost it.
He's a very wealthy man with a £1.2 million pension pot and a lot of money
I earn £15000 .
We have a DD at uni....ex helps with her living costs. This was in the financial settlement...I would make no claim on his company as he would be responsible for uni costs.
What does a 17 year old cost? Well he eats a lot. And needs clothes( although he buys a lot himself)
I want to be fair and reasonable.

[Fourormore]

Fairly sure the CMS include dividends as part of their calculations. Give CM Options a call tomorrow.

I'm assuming you weren't married?

[Fourormore]

Oh sorry, you were married. Surprised this wasn't all covered in the divorce tbh. Definitely give the CMS a call tomorrow. £60/week for someone with that kind of money seems bizarre.

[Savagebeauty]

Thanks for the advice.

[tic73]

Another one who owns a company and sticks them self on minimum wage. Going through divorce at moment and at mediation he had to include the dividends. X

[Chasingsquirrels]

Dividends are definitely included.
(Low salary and dividends is just good tax planning, it doesn't stop the dividends being part if your income).

[Savagebeauty]

Thanks...he's refusing to tell me what he earns so I've told him CSA calculator suggests £69 a week based on £30000.
It's gone very quiet.

[Fourormore]

If he's refusing to tell you what he earns, I would go straight to the CMS. They don't backdate claims so don't wait.

[Marilynsbigsister]

OP, have I read that right. '*He is a very wealthy man, own company, 1.2 million pension pot. '
We have a dd at uni .. Ex helps with her living costs. This was the financial settlement. I would make no claim on his company as he would be responsible for all uni costs. ???????
*
I am completely incredulous of this . Are you actually saying you agreed not to ask for pension sharing or any interest in the company he has built up while you cared for his children, in exchange for him paying for one or two children for the three/four years they are at uni. ?

I am hoping you have some other MASSIVE cash payout from him to redress the balance or you have been married for less than a couple of years. Or you have been royally shafted and need to get a decent lawyer and back to court. I am shocked.