to not split the discount?

[schoolsaving]

Regular but NC as outing.

DS currently attends private school and fees split 50:50 with XH amicably but specific line 'school fees to be split 50:50' is in financial order. No maintenance paid as 50:50 care and clean break split with us i.e. no further claim on each other. Further relevant info is that since split I've reduced working hours and covered school holidays and XH has continued to work FT.

I've got a new full time job which includes 50% discount on school fees. Which of the below scenarios do you think is fairest?

A: fee discount reduces both our share and we split the cost of additional holiday childcare
B: fee discount reduces my share to nil and I pick up cost of additional holiday childcare
C: fee discount reduces my share to nil and we split additional holiday childcare

Thanks!

100% C

You are still funding 50% of the fees just via different means

If you share the discount you are funding 75% of the fees and him 25% regardless of the vehicle

B

C. A discount in school fees is a perk of your employment. Just like some people get a company car or private health insurance. My guess is that wages would be higher if you were not offered this perk.

She is providing 50% of the school fees through her efforts and labour.

So is the ex!

Legally I'd have thought the reduction in fee costs would mean A was the selection. The costs have changed. If you had put the child to another school where the fees were less, the argument would be the same. Change in costs of schooling needs to be passed on as per the financial order.

Reading some of the responses here, it's quite a tricky one, isn't it? If you are on good terms with X and he's paying his bit every month, then why not discuss with the lawyers and take their advice.

Further relevant info is that since split I've reduced working hours and covered school holidays and XH has continued to work FT.

I'm not clear: you say 50:50 care, but this looks as though you covered school holidays for both your EH and you, thus taking a pay cut to enable him not to have to either also take a pay cut, or pay for full-time school holiday child care?

If so, Option C

Clean break, after all. And your new job gives YOU the perk of subsidised school fees. Your EXH is nothing to do with you anymore.

And he seems to have been quite happy to let you take the financial hit of PT work so you could cover school hols & he didn't have to.

^^
Exactly what Giant said.

C

OP - what's fair isn't relevant I'm afraid. You need legal advice relating to the order.

C

The agreement is school fees are 50/50.
So, he also benefits from the discount.
It's there in black and white isn't it.

I also agree with this. If the agreement says you pay 50/50 for school fees then you pay 50/50 for school fees, no matter what the fees are.

But he may be up for option B as it might just be the easier option.

C, I think- the discount is a benefit of your job. Even if the discount reduces the fees you pay to zero, I'd look at it as you are still paying those fees, just through labour rather than cash.

you are still covering the 50% - its irelevant whether it is through a company bonus or discount - you are earning and taking responsibility for the 50% and he is still responsible for the other 50%. Is it worth taking legal advice through solicitor or CAB to make sure that this is fine? If he wouldn't look to save you money why should you look to save his? I'm sure he has perks and benefits from his job that he doesn't share with you!
The cost of sharing childcare through holidays should be a separate discussion which has no bearing on the 50% cost of school, although since he has benefitted from your over-contribution in the past it could be taken into account for your benefit going forward.

There's the legalities, and there's "How would I hope to be treated if the situation was reversed?" (obviously within the bounds of the other person's usual behaviour).

Presumably the amount by which your salary is below the market level is rather less than the value of 50% school fees (taking into account tax etc.). In which caseassuming it's a standard clause rather than somethingthey put in to headhunt youthe marginal value of the fee reduction might be seen as a bit of a windfall.*

Imagine you have been sorting out costs for a pricy school trip and you see XH looking rather dapper. "Oh yes, some of the works shares came good and I got a few £k extra." If you give no more than a passing thought that XH should be coughing up more than 50% for the trip, then more power to your elbow.

*Mainly because the discount is likely to come at a salary cost and have tax implications, I'm with those that say that any sharing shouldn't be an even split.

C - if he got some sort of discount or benefit from work, would he tell you or share it with you? I would keep your lives separate and not introduce any "shared" stuff, even stuff that would potentially help him as it will just complicate things in the long run.

interesting... if HE were to get a job there too, would the school waive ALL fees?

I'm guessing not.

This is quite interesting to me because my sister has very recently been to court and one of the issues covered was her employment offering a portion of school fees as a perk and he wanted to reduce his contribution.

The court took the stance that it was part of her Salary so his fees haven't changed hers have hugely reduced.

I think it depends if you want your relationship to remain on good terms.

Since your ex doesn't pay maintenance due to 50/50 split obviously he can't reduce it, but he could certainly become difficult about paying towards anything you do ask for if he feels you've shafted him with the school fees.

C, if it was a company car would you share it? Also check if the fees are a benefit in kind and therefore you pay tax on them

C.
He's benefitting financially with you covering school holidays. Massively.
Your turn to benefit, but prepare for him to challenge it.

If it's all been done by polite negotiation isn't there a possible option D.

His costs reduce by 25%. Your costs reduce by 75% (or 33/67 if this is preferable) so you still get half of your perk to yourself and share the other half (or give him a third).

And then holiday care is split 50:50.

I think a lot of these comments are a bit irrelevant. Obviously you wouldn't share a company car or healthcare coverage, but this is a bit different as this is a cost for the child that both parents are currently paying.

OP will still be benefiting significantly from the discount, even if her ex does benefit too.

I don't know about the legalities, but I think you've also got to consider how the ex will feel about this when he finds out and how it may affect the co-parenting relationship going forward.

Am I right in thinking the discount is part of your salary? If so, then why would you pass any of that on to your ex....he didn't pay you for childcare during the holidays after all....