Do I have a legal right to ask my ex for his income details to check I am receiving the correct child maintenance payments?

[CandidOrca]

Hello
l have a private arrangement with my ex in regards to child maintenance payments. He has always paid regularly on a weekly basis. However he has been self employed for afew years so I guess his hourly rate being a tradesman has risen.
He claims to works out the payment by the government calculator. However I would like to challenge this now, as my son being 17 doesn’t stay there at all anymore and my daughter stays every other weekend. His step children are now 18 so that will all affect the money. My kids go once a week for 2 hours for their tea.
I would like to try and discuss this with him first, as I can’t work out anything myself as I don’t know his income. My work accountant has said he has to give me those details so I can check myself. But I would prefer confirmation of this from someone with knowledge ….as he will hit the roof if/when I do ask for it. So would feel much more confident if I am 100% sure that it’s right.
Many thanks x

Child maintenance stops on 31 August on or after your child's 16th birthday if they leave education or training. Assume your child is still in education?

But no you aren’t entitled to see anything. You can however request payments through cms

Give his National insurance number to csa they will check it but will only be able to go by what's on the books.

I can't see him being legally obliged to give them to you at all!!!

Yes, I know that. My son is on a full time course at college

No. But you do have the right to use the Child Maintenance Service who will check his income with HMRC.

No I can't see how you cam demand those details either, you will have to go through the child maintenance service.

No you can't legally demand it personally but if you ask and he says no you can use CMS and they can demand it. My ex uses the calculator every year and sends me the pdf of the calculator and his payslips for the previous couple of months.

Use CMS ffs- will make your life much easier as you won't have to deal with it. They will check and make sure you are paid what you are owed.

No. You do not have a right to see his financial details. I’m surprised your accountant told you this. What you have is a private arrangement as to child maintenance. That is based on negotiation and trust. If you are no longer content with the private arrangement you can submit a claim to the CMS.

Are you divorced OP? It's written into my divorce agreement that he has to show me every year... I mean in practice this means nothing as he doesn't and I can't afford to take him to court, but you might have a more reasonable ex!!

If you go through CMS they will tell you his weekly earnings when they send the calculation through. They will only know what HMRC knows though.

I’d be very careful about this if he’s self employed as you could end up with less depending on what he is reporting his earnings are to HMRC

As he’s self employed he can give wrong figures like many men do and so I don’t think there’s anything you can do legally. I guess at this point I wouldn’t bother

Blimey that must be the most honest ex I’ve ever read about on here when it comes to this subject! Hope it continues for you. I don’t know why some men think it’s ok to not pay.