Maintenance - absent parent self employed

[roughtyping]

Just posted this in legal as well, then occurred to me it might be better here

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how the CSA would calculate what amount an absent parent should pay when they're self employed?

DS's dad has become self employed, I've suspected for a while he will reduce maintenance - he's done so this month.

We've always had an informal agreement, nothing in writing. He emailed me in the middle of the night to let me know and uses v formal language when he emails, so not sure if he's planning to show a solicitor. He's transferred a quarter of what he normally does, with no warning (usually transfers at end of month so was late with this).

I'm now starting to wonder about options in terms of formalising arrangements.

He doesn't see DS very often - a couple of times a year, and I'm always flexible and accommodating with this.

It'll be based on his declared, taxable income. There are many legitimate ways for a self-employed person to reduce their taxable income and, unfortunately, this can knock on to their CSA liability. There are many threads on MN on the subject showing up some truly miserable and grasping NRPs going to great lengths to keep their money to themselves. Formalising things is a very good idea and you should get onto it urgently but you may find you are shutting stable doors after the horse has bolted.

Has he got some new commitments do you think?

He just got engaged so the timing is v suspicious.

I'd honestly rather just have nothing to do with him now. DS is 10 and he has been a rubbish parent - well, I could count the number of times he's seen him in DS's whole life. I just don't understand how he can have emailed me this as if it's at all reasonable, as if, if I disagree, it's ME who's being ridiculous. Argh!

Timing sounds about right. New wife, new expenses, let's forget all about previous promises eh? It's why I'd always advise formalising any maintenance agreement legally, even if the details have been worked out privately. Do you have legal representation?

No, nt at all. We were never married, we split up when DS was 3 months old, we were 18. He has been with his fiancée for a few years now - have a house together. I'm just really angry about it all - I've tried really hard to be reasonable over the years but feel like none of it is worth a damn to him (which, I guess, it's not).

IME 'reasonable' gets very little in life. You've got a few choices from here. CSA, solicitor or offer mediation and a legal rubber stamp so that he can't short change DS any further. Some solicitors offer a free initial consultation.