CMS Calculation question

[FallenFigs]

Can anyone help on this CMS query?

On the front page of the CMS calculator, it states that if you have an arrangement of half the time, then CMS is not payable.

However, when you go through the steps of the calculator, there are various options for how often the paying parent has the children per week. One of these options is ‘half the time’. If I select this option, it calculates an amount for the paying parent to pay. This directly contradicts the front page. Which is correct, and why?

could the other parent then complete the paperwork too and claim from you then as it’s both “half the time”? Very confusing!

It’s a bit of a quirk in the way the calculator works. If care is truly 50/50 where both parents have exactly the same time then it’s is not payable. The calculator doesn’t work like that, the options are banded so 156-174 nights is roughly half, but not exactly half. In those cases the calculator still assumes that there is one parent that does more and so there is still in theory a payer.

There’s been a few very long posts on this on AIBU and its very clear no maintenance is due on 50-50 despite what the calculator says.