Stbxh suddenly not paying pension

[Sarahd3342]

Hi

I've received some payslips from my stbxh. And according to his payslips, as soon as he announced our separation, he seemed to massively reduce his monthly pension contributions...by £1000 a month. Does anyone have any advice?? I feel sick. It looks to me like he's trying to quickly reduce his assets...

he's Entitled to reduce his pension contribution

wnere is he living? Does he have extra costs ?

what are your pension contributions?

Maybe he needs to divert the money into living expenses instead?

If you've separated he is probably having to redirect this money to living expenses. Do you have an income or pension of your own?

Hi, yes.

But equally he is reducing his pension pot. And yes, I have a pension of my own too. But it's possibly going to catch up in value with his as it's civil service if he's not paying his.

It's still his decision though. He can do what he likes with this, surely. Why do you think you have a say in what he does with his pension from this point forward?

Would the calculation of the marital assets not be based on the date you separated? I seem to remember this happened with DP when he was finalising his divorce and his defined benefit pension had to be assessed and the split calculated.

I wouldn’t think it’s going to make a huge difference to a settlement in any case

Doesn’t that just mean he has more cash?

£12k a year is not going to be material

Frankly why would he save extra and split it with you! It makes no sense.

£1k a month is a lot to pay into a pension so he must have been paying well over the employer minimum

I suppose it depends on whether you were planning on retiring expecting some of his pension in the divorce? If so then it's the sort of thing I would have done if I was him to be honest

Yes. It’s his money if you’re not together and why would he put it somewhere it potentially needs to be split with you?

If he is letting you see his payslips then I wouldn't think he is trying to do anything wrong. He can reduce his payments now if he needs the money but it won't change the pension that already exists to the point you split.

Has he moved out and having to fund a rental property while still paying for the marital home? I have a pension of my own too. But it's possibly going to catch up in value with his as it's civil service if he's not paying his.
that sounds a bit 'what his is ours what's mine is mine'

Depends on the pension scheme - I’m NHS and have to pay 12.5% of my salary. I know GPs have to pay even more, something like 24%. So all consultants and GPs will be paying more than that. I’d expect civil service etc to be similar.

Reducing his pension contributions doesn’t ’reduce his assets’ his pension is stil growing, it’s just growing less quickly. I’m not sure it will make much difference to your settlement though given it’s a few thousand quid. It’s also not unreasonable, I guess his living expenses have gone up.

He will share your pension as it will be split.
Why can't he reduce his contributions and spend it on Day to day expenses.

Is he still contributing to the mortgage or any other joint bills? He doesn't have to continue overpaying, and maybe he is doing it to reduce the overall pension pot, but if he left the home I assume he has bills to pay now, as do you.

It’s his money, he can do what he wants with it.

You sound controlling.

He’s trying to reduce the value of his pension so yours catches up so he doesn’t have to split the difference with you. He’ll massively increase his payments when the financial settlement is complete. Doubt there’s very much you can do about it. He’s losing the tax relief on it but he’ll have extra cash. If he’s banking it, you might be able to claim that.