Do you claim child benefit if one of you is a fairly high earner?

[Rugrats103]

As title. DD is 4, I’ve never claimed it as when she was born DH said he’d have to pay 50% tax on it, so no point.

I’ve just taken a new job which will be a pay cut of £180 a month for me, I’m wondering whether to start claiming it as it would be some money, even if we get taxed of half?

If you’re entitled to it I would absolutely do. We earn too much so can’t buy I’d be all over that!

Yeah if you're entitled to it and it will save you some money then of course do it.

Always have done.

1. It cover NI contributions if you are unemployed at any point (up to 12yo)
2. Unless your oartner earns over £80k, you get some. If its nearer 60k, youll keep most.

It just means paperwork for him.

Gah, I’ve just seen that the threshold is £80,000. I thought it was £100,000. Not sure we’ll be entitled/ there’d be any point then

My understanding is you don’t pay tax on it, but you may have to pay it back if one earns over the threshold? Which is now 60k ish?

it depends how much he earns. If he’s just over it may be worth increasing his pension contributions to bring him below the threshold.

the other reason it’s worth claiming is if you lose your job or circumstances change it will pay your NI so you don’t miss out on pension contributions.

We always have, although the rules have changed, it keeps your name ticking over with NI credits (towards state pension) until youngest child is 12.

H will not pay tax on it but he will need to pay it back. So it will get deducted from his net income or he might have to do a tax return if he doesn’t already.

You will need to look at how his salary is paid etc.

Check the NI credits and that you are being credited at least. If you aren’t sort that out first.

It’s a bit of admin if H earns over threshold. But he doesn’t have to pay tax on it so he’s mistaken about that.

If he earns 100k you’d have to pay it all back
so it will most likely not be worth it if you also work and so don’t need it for your NI record.

Not sure how the voting is working so I said YABU because we are in the same situation and don’t claim it because DH would have to do a tax return. It annoys me as we have one child I don’t earn as much as him

He earns £93,000 so I’m not sure we’d actually get any of it? I thought £100,000 was the cut off, but just googled and seen it’s 80k

Yes, it’s really annoying! HE might not need it, but I do!

In which case he would pay it all back, so its pointless claiming it. Its only worth claiming if you are not working & need the NI credits for state pension.

You are married & share children, if he/the family pot has money you should have access to it, you shouldnt feel worse off than him.

We don’t claim because we’re over the £80k limit and I earn enough that I don’t need the NI credits. The amount we could make on interest isn’t worth having to faff with a tax return

wtf?

he’s on 93k but you are struggling so much you need £100 a month child benefit?

fuck sake woman. That’s financial abuse.

have a word with him and get him to start paying for stuff. Or set up a dd, or whatever.

in the meantime get your own career on track so you can earn your own money.

please tell me you still work full time and aren’t completely financially dependent on this man?

Why would you not claim it if you're entitled to it?

50% is better than 0%. Surely your husband can work this out.

I hope it's not a matter of "well, husband says I'll get the money because I claim it and he'll be losing out because he has to pay tax on it"... 🙄

Absolutely we do even though we haven’t pay 80% of it back (which more then a little pissed off about) but not going go without swimming lessons and school trips for our children for the sake of it

How do you share household expenses?

What’s the reason for taking the new lower paid job?

You don’t pay tax on child benefit.

he may have his tax code adjusted to lay it back if he earns too much. So he’s effectively just giving her the money himself.

so what he’s saying is I don’t want to even give you £100 a month for the kids.

if you need it that badly o/p ditch him. If he is not contributing financially to the point you need £100 a month you’ll be better off with CB and maintenance.

Don’t end up on a position where you can’t afford to leave, now or later.

We were in this position, 18 year ago, but I don’t think much has changed. If you don’t claim you won’t get the NI contributions if your wages are ever not enough to cover this. So if you don’t claim as we didn’t just keep an eye on that.

Sounds to me like you should claim it then he can pay it back through his tax code if he keeps you that short!! Then you will get your NI contributions too while your child is young.
seriously the CB is the least of your issues here if you are short of money and he earns that much.

This.

if you claim it at least the moneys in your pocket and not his, where you don’t see it anyway.

but seriously- my fil did this to mil. He retired early on a huge final salary pension, she was still working in Tesco in her 70’s as his money was his, and if she wanted money she had to earn her own.

most heartbreaking was when he died she actually spoke about wanting to leave him years earlier when the kids were young, but how do you do that when you don’t have money for a train ticket out, let alone a house deposit.

why have you taken a lower paying job if he won’t share his disposable income?

No because husband earns 180k so would be such a waste of time but I have access to all our money so don’t need it.. is that not the case here? x

Er, you can and should claim it I thought even if one of you earns over 80K, you just tick the 'dont actually pay me it' box.

You should always claim it to protect your NI contributions, just in case, and also so that your child automatically gets their NI number at 16. You have to apply for it and submit evidence otherwise to get it. Also, anecdoatally, and I dont think this is official, in my area they seem to use it to send out vaccination invites.

I have always claimed for all my children and never been paid a penny of it after the first time when I had to pay it back in tbe following years tax. After that I just ticked the dont pay me it box and then it has no tax implications.

I find the English system for this highly unfair. Here in Ireland it’s not means tested at all!! We earn nearly 150k between us and we still get child benefit. I save it for university but a lot of people actually depend on it

It used to be like that here. The one before this Labour government stopped it.