50/50 shared care by separated parents - child maintanance

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If separated parents share care and have the child the same amount of time each - does any parent have to pay child maintanance to the other parent?

No

I did think no, but the answer is possibly. Use the gov.uk tool to work it out based on earnings. Basically, if one of you earns more then maintenance will be payable to ensure the dc can enjoy the same standard of living with both parents.

No... why would they if time is split equally?

Depends where you live and what the law is.

Did one parent initially stay home or work part time while the other was able to build their career and as a result has a lot more money?

Not for us- although as he earns (substantially) more than me he does pay a (little) more than me into the joint account we have set up to pay for all shared child related costs. We used a mediator when divorcing so not sure if courts/ solicitors would have decided differently.
I think possibly if one parent was SAH and not earning at all it may be different, not sure.

It can be the case that there is still maintenance owed. It depends on the incomes. Use the CMS calculators to check.

@Potterpotterpotter

No... why would they if time is split equally?

Because time being split doesn't automatically mean the costs are split. Also maintenence is sometimes awarded so that the child has a similar standard of living in both homes.

Yes. I believe they should if there is a significant difference in earnings. The child is entitled to the same standard of living at both houses.

Yes. I believe they should if there is a significant difference in earnings. The child is entitled to the same standard of living at both houses.

The child maintenance regulations for England and Wales don’t agree. If there is no difference in the care offered by the parents, no maintenance is payable.

I'm in England. Exh outearns me by a fair amount. When I put both our details into the online calculator, we both owed the other parent maintenance and his was higher so cancelled mine out. Meaning he needs to pay a bit each month to level up incomes I presume.

When maintenance is set through the courts, often involving one parent on a high income, the objective is to give the child a similar standard of living to that which the child would have had otherwise.

Of course not.