Is it morally wrong to put large amounts into pension.

[Gearandglasses]

I found out that my exh is doing this and is therefore paying less than 40% tax and also making CSA think that he is not as high an earner as he thinks. The difference is significant, think school fees for two per year.
I don't need the money to live since I work and take care of the children full time, it just seems a little off that he'd prefer to put money away instead of buying things for the children now, whilst they are small. It just left a bitter taste, since I have nothing left each month to even think about a pension let alone high contributions as all my money goes on the children.

If it's any consolation op my exH is doing exactly the same. He hates me (and therefore giving 'me' money) more than he loves hos kids. He thinks I'm off living the life of Riley on his dime. The truth is quite the opposite of course but he's wedded to the idea of hating me so will ensure he doesn't have a penny more than he can get away with.

Perfectly legal, of course, but doesn't stop them looking like the arseholes they are!

I'm putting a lot into my pension now, as I'm going to retire in 5 years time and my DS is finished uni. I wouldn't have done it before now as needed the money for living, supplementing DS etc.

I would have liked to cut down hours worked now, but decided to stay full time to get my pension up, so the only one suffering is me! Your DH is very selfish, is he planning on retiring very early?

I have never said anyone is lying but there is not full info given. Yes men should be financially responsible for dc but we don’t know the full picture. I’m fully aware the aspects of this I have mentioned don’t make one jot of difference to her cms payments but her finances might be very healthy in capital. Anyway he should pay what he should!

You are still very muddled aren't you. ?deliberately?

None of us can do what we want with our income.

If the op wants to pursue this through the courts she can.

Because this is nothing to do with the divorce. It's all about the payments that he's legally obliged to make to support his children.

It doesn't matter if the op is a millionaire.

We're discussing the current contributions from his gross salary, into his pension pot.

We're discussing how he is diverting his income into his pension to avoid supporting his children.

This is entirely separate from the clean break agreed during their divorce settlement.

During divorce, lawyers don't agree what pension contributions will be made in the future.

Not perfectly legal.

If you have the energy, the courts will look into it and determine if he is diverting income unlawfully.

(Appeal to CMS,lose, then have your appeal escalated to the courts)

But it takes ages.

Oh yes they do, or rather, the good ones do for the precise reason that the OP is experiencing.

@GabriellaMontez thanks for the info, when I spoke to cms they basically said if I don't have proof there's nothing I can do! Basically after years of him paying me the same amount for x3 kids, and in spite of us agreeing on an annual review, he refused to increase cms in line with salary increases. Then played silly buggers by cutting the amount 3 weeks before Xmas so I went to cms to get a formal reevaluation and it turns out he'd been UNDERpaying by about £400 a month for at least 3 years. Since then, in spite of him being in an exceptionally well paid job (ie he won't have taken a salary cut) his contribution has reduced slightly (like £10 a month!) so I can only assume he's squirrelled it away into his pension to avoid paying what he should've.

Anyway not wanting to derail but useful to know!

There is a limit to annual pension contributions and it is lawful to contribute to a pension even if you are paying child maintenance.

Is there a limit? I know you lose the tax advantage after 60k but I don't think there's an actual limit.

Ha! I saw your title snd thought ‘ only if you are doing it to reduce the child maintenance you need to pay’. And lo!

This massive loophole that benefits shit men who don’t want to support their own kids, really needs to be closed

At the same time as this thread we have another one with posters coming with ways that someone can keep their income below £100k so they can continue to claim benefits. In both threads, the approaches are legal but, to me, morally dubious.

You can indeed exceed the annual allowance, but you will trigger a tax charge on the excess - this in no bad thing if you’re willing to leave the money to grow in the fund - quite astute actually!