CSA calculations - really?!

[zephyrcat]

Hi all, I have just started up using csa to collect maintenance payments from my ex. After they contacted him he told me his work had taken him on permanently and that it was 'a secret'. I know he's well paid as I know others who work with him. Csa have him paying £37 per week for our 4 children - can that be correct?!

[overmydeadbody]

Have you talked to the CSA about this?

[Missunreasonable]

CSA will be taking (I think) 25% of his income for 4 children but they can only take 25% of the income that they can prove.
If you believe that he is paid much more than the CSA have based their calculations on then go back to them and ask them to look into his lifestyle vs his declared income.

[zephyrcat]

I rang the. Just now and she said that the info they have is what they were given and it will only change if I can prove that his income has increased from what they think it is by 25% and basically don't bother - you get what you get! Just seems like less than £10 per child is a bit ridiculous

[MisForMumNotMaid]

I've just run it through the calculator and that gives an estimated income after pension contributions of £200/ week.

Heres the big con...after pension contributions. As you can pay all your earnings into a pension you could potentially make a massive payment when the CSA ask for you salary slip and your wages for calculation would be much lower.

[Mumsy75]

I've got the same problem. CSA have only calculated the minimal amount due to the information they have got from inland revenue about my ex's income. However he had great delight last time I spoke to him telling me he has a new job earning extortionate money, new huge house, new car and going on holiday for a month or so to the carribean. Needless to say he doesn't want to pay money and said go through the CSA. I informed the CSA what he had said and they said they can only go by what the inland revenue tell them.
But they did say if I think he is not declaring an income to contact the inland revenue and they will investigate. It's an option?

[HeadDoctor]

Mis they get your annual income from HMRC not just one wage slip.

[MisForMumNotMaid]

Annual income would make far more sense. I'm a little bitter and twisted when it comes to child maintenance.

[WakeyCakey45]

However he had great delight last time I spoke to him telling me he has a new job earning extortionate money, new huge house, new car and going on holiday for a month or so to the carribean.

....and you should have seen the size of the fish he caught last week, too! I suspect it's probably bravado and wind up. As he's an ex, I'm sure he's lied to you in the past - what makes you think this is true?

But yes, definitely report him to HMRC for not declaring all his income. If he's telling the truth, the DCs will benefit, and if he's telling porkies, then he'll discover that they get him into trouble!

[HeadDoctor]

You can also get a variation if you can demonstrate that he's living a lifestyle beyond the means that his income would allow I believe.