Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

ex having babies! - help with child maintenance calculation please

6 replies

LightTouch · 18/03/2009 08:55

I thought I was sorted and well on the way to healing thanks to the support of MN, friends and family. I'd paid a hefty sum for my home to buy xDH out and was feeling like I had really achieved something. But two days after he got his lump sum, he tells me that he is having twins with his OW, and they are due at the beginning of April! We are long over, after I found out about this OW, and she kindly then told me about an earlier OW when it had looked like xHB and I could have patched things up initially.... So a bit cross at myself that hearing he is having kids, still hurts so much

Because he's been bad at contributing when he should in the past, we have a standing order in place so I dont have to chase all the time. I realise from other stories that I am incredibly lucky in this, but to add insult to injury, he's already cut his contribution because these babies are due in the next month.

I've tried really hard to not go down the CSA route to keep as much goodwill as possible, but we do go by what the CSA would say he has to contribute (15% net). I know there is a reduction when children are born into the non-resident parents family, but I dont know how much it is. Is it a % or a fixed amount per child? It's just come as a hell of a shock how much of a difference he says it is going to make to what he pays for our one DC. With my mortgage being even bigger than we used to have, following paying him this lump sum, I'm worried that I'm going to struggle with this cut in money, and hoped someone can tell me what is the right figure, as it won't be the first time he's pulled the wool over my eyes when it comes to finances.

Thanks!

OP posts:
irises · 18/03/2009 14:05

OK, the calculation starts with a 15% reduction for the child living with your ex. So, for the sake of simplicity, say your ex earns £1,000 per month after tax, ni and pension contributions. £150 is taken off for his new baby, leaving £850. If you have one child then he pays 15% of that (£127 per month, if you have two, he pays 20% (£170) and if you have 3 or more, he pays you 25% (£212.50 per month).

ElenorRigby · 18/03/2009 19:23

Lighttouch...
here is the CSA's maintenance calculator
HTH

LightTouch · 18/03/2009 20:24

Thanks guys, he seems to get a lot taken off, and additional for OW's DD even though they get 15% from her xP. Its just come as a bit of a shock.

I'd understood from a friend who met and married a divorced chap, that they were only allowed to reduce their payment to his first wife by £7 when they had their DD. She seemed to think that this was a fixed amount, but I guess she may have not known current rules.

Yikes. So he is probably right, just doing it a month or so earlier than the CSA and our court arrangement allows.

OP posts:
yerblurt · 19/03/2009 16:12

The CSA has an online calculator if you wish to use that.

Just because the father is going to have a reduced child maintenance does NOT mean he is any less loving of his first child.

I have a 6 yr old with my ex-wife and an 18 month old with my partner. I pay child maintenance at CSA assessment levels privately to my ex. I have a shared res order, the time split of which means that my daughter lives with me and my partner for approx. 35% of the year (for which I am not eligible for any child-related benefits such as tax credits btw).

Because I have a reduced CM assessment due to new daugther, does this mean I am any less committed to my first daughter? On the contrary!

RealityIsMyOnlyDelusion · 19/03/2009 16:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

yerblurt · 19/03/2009 16:19

me neither.

The CSA does make allowances for dependents that you may be responsible for - but I would have thought that if there are child maintenance arrangements in for "step" children then that should not impact on your assessment for the biological child. Weird.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page