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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

would it be illegal to get CB paid to my ex?

140 replies

MsIngaFewmarbles · 23/03/2012 09:48

just a thought.

I have 2 DC from my previous marriage and one from my current one. Could I ask my ex to have CB paid to him so DH doesn't get clobbered on tax because I receive CB for MY 2 DC?

OP posts:
AThingInYourLife · 23/03/2012 12:05

" I bet whilst decrying those who find loopholes using their expensive tax advisors, you'll happily point this particular loophole out AThing."

Hmm

It isn't a "loophole" that either parent can receive CB.

PMSL @ "I'm so lucky and well off and I won't miss this money one little bit!"

not being a gloat :o

You're gloating about how good you perceive yourself to be, as well as your wealth.

And telling people whose circumstances you don't know that they should "suck it up" when they lose thousands of pounds per year because they have children.

I presume all these people who don't "rely on state handouts" have money in their budget for medical care should they need it?

Not right to be relying on government handouts after all, is it?

The NHS is just a little luxury - nobody should depend on access to free healthcare Hmm any more than they should depend on a universal benefit that has been in place since the war.

The greedy bastards!

buttonmoon78 · 23/03/2012 12:08

OK, so it's not a loophole AThing but I bet it'll change at some point in the near future esp if lots of people use it.

I'm obviously in the wrong, but it still seems wrong to me!

Would you mind pointing out to whom you are making your remarks? Your last post looks as if it's all to me whereas only the first sentence relates to anything I posted.

Laambkins · 23/03/2012 12:09

I heard Paul the Moneybox man on Radio 4 tell someone to do exactly that.

Do it.

buttonmoon78 · 23/03/2012 12:10

And apologies if I assumed incorrectly that legally avoiding taxes was unacceptable to you AThing

ohdearwhatdoidonow · 23/03/2012 12:11

Re university!

I can't and won't fund their total Uni costs but no way either will I let them be saddled with 100k of debt!

What will happen is I'll break myself to cover as much as possible and they'll halve their debt!

Someone remind me again why I bother working?

buttonmoon78 · 23/03/2012 12:15

But they won't be saddled with 100k of debt. They'll be eligible to pay a graduate tax for their working life which may or may not pay off their 'debt'. If it pays it off they'll continue to pay the tax to help those who don't earn such a good salary.

Or so I thought anyway - I may be totally wrong!

AThingInYourLife · 23/03/2012 12:21

" They'll be eligible to pay a graduate tax for their working life which may or may not pay off their 'debt'."

Nope - taxes don't accrue interest while you are below the earning threshold for paying them.

Sorry button - I mixed you up with someone else.

Legally avoiding taxes is interesting - I don't have a problem with people or businesses doing it, but I would take issue would some loopholes and how they are exploited.

DPrince · 23/03/2012 12:24

Can you read? I didn't say claiming cb is a loophole. The loophole is getting your ex to claim it and give it to you. If the ex is claiming and keeping it fine, but claiming it and passing it on is not. I couldn't give a shit if she claims it or not. She asked, I gave my opinion.

ohdearwhatdoidonow · 23/03/2012 12:26

So it's legal then? Then I'm very pissed off cos my layabout ex who doesn't work could get it? Whilst it's taken off me?
Please say it isn't so!

DPrince · 23/03/2012 12:35

And I didn't say I was Ok with anything.

mysteryfairy · 23/03/2012 12:38

My friend has been advised to do this by her accountant as her ex partner and father of her 3 children earns below the 50k limit. Her ex will be paying for school uniform, shoes etc that they previously split bills for 50/50. Seems sensible to me.

I don't believe you are doing anything illegal or immoral.

AThingInYourLife · 23/03/2012 12:38

" If the ex is claiming and keeping it fine, but claiming it and passing it on is not."

If the ex is entitled to claim it, he is entitled to claim it.

If he then decides to increase the amount he pays in child maintenance, then that is surely up to him?

Or if he pays for activities for his children that used to be paid for by their mother, is that a crime?

I'm struggling to see where the fraud is.

gramercy · 23/03/2012 12:40

Surely if you form a new family and the dcs of any former family live with you, you are judged on the income of the main breadwinner of the latest family.

Can't this government come up with any policies that promote the formation of stable families? If I were on my own I'd have to get any beau to get out his payslips so I could reject him if he earned in excess of £60K Wink

DPrince · 23/03/2012 12:43

Depends on how you look at it. Changing who claims CB with the intention of passing it to the person who is no longer eligible is fraud.

hairytaleofnewyork · 23/03/2012 12:46

"Can't this government come up with any policies that promote the formation of stable families? If I were on my own I'd have to get any beau to get out his payslips so I could reject him if he earned in excess of £60K "

This is the logic I don't get . People keeping their family income low just for the purpose of a few quid a week (relatively) in benefits.

hairytaleofnewyork · 23/03/2012 12:48

PMSL @ "I'm so lucky and well off and I won't miss this money one little bit!"

athing : you can misinterpret and misconstrue what people are actually saying all you like but it doesn't make it so.

You sound terribly bitter. :(

AThingInYourLife · 23/03/2012 13:04

You sound quite bitter yourself, with a healthy dose of smug.

Telling people to "suck it up" because you're all right, isn't really the sweetness and light attitude you switched to mid-thread.

AThingInYourLife · 23/03/2012 13:10

"This is the logic I don't get . People keeping their family income low just for the purpose of a few quid a week (relatively) in benefits."

CB can be thousands of pounds a year.

If you don't get that people will miss that money just because you wouldn't, then you have an empathy bone missing.

For some families losing CB, it will be like a 7% rise in income tax.

Can you imagine the outcry if that kind of rise was brought in in one go?

A far smaller rise to HRT (1% say) would have raised more money and not placed the burden entirely on parents.

TheSockPuppet · 23/03/2012 13:14

Read this OP and get some perspective; www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1434848-To-be-really-upset-to-read-on-MN

Your DS missing out on some extra curricular activities isn't the end of the world.

AThingInYourLife · 23/03/2012 13:20

Apologies, it would have been like a 7% rise before the new arrangements.

It will still be a big loss to families at the bottom end of losing it.

AThingInYourLife · 23/03/2012 13:24

"Your DS missing out on some extra curricular activities isn't the end of the world."

Wow, you must be posting that link on a lot of threads.

Is "the end of the world" the new requirement for starting a thread?

Can anyone recommend a parenting site where issues that are not likely to end the world, but affect or interest people anyway, are up for discussion?

Inertia · 23/03/2012 13:28

If one parent qualifies for CB, I really cannot see how it is morally wrong for that parent to claim it and spend the money on things that the children need. Yes, there are people worse off- but in a civilised society surely we should be eliminating inequality by supporting the poorest most, not driving down the standard of living for everyone not currently in poverty?

I agree with much of what AThing has said. The fact that there is always somebody worse offshouldn't mean that only the very worst off get support. Should you only get NHS treatment if you would otherwise immediately die, because otherwise you are a drain on the state, despite paying into the system?

The idea of the universal nature of CB was to ensure that all children could be provided for in the most efficient way. If the state actually saves any money once we take into account the costs of processing this change and the ongoing costs of managing the beaurocracy involved, I will be amazed.

Northernlurker · 23/03/2012 13:31

There is no fraud in the Op agreeing with her ex that he will now claim the benefit. He can then do with it exactly what he likes. If he chooses to pay her more maintainence that's more maintainence, that's not a benefit obtained by any sort of deception. I agree that this issue has inspired a lot of unpleasantness from people who should know better.

The only time seperated families should think twice about transferring the payment is if one parent (for example mum) is a sahp. Because then that parent MUST claim even if the payment is removed through tax because that is the only way the NI contributions will be covered as they are at present. I think the OP said she works so this shouldn't be an issue for her.

Kayano · 23/03/2012 13:31

What about the thread a few
Weeks ago that said cb was just swallowed up as household income
And spent not on things child related but important bills etc

IMO if you can afford all your bills and afford to squirrel away the cb for years to come you don't NEED it, it has just been a nice little bonus for the well off

If

AThingInYourLife · 23/03/2012 13:36

Very important point made by Northern, about SAHP:

"The only time seperated families should think twice about transferring the payment is if one parent (for example mum) is a sahp. Because then that parent MUST claim even if the payment is removed through tax because that is the only way the NI contributions will be covered as they are at present."