Taking EX husband at his word re earnings and child maintenance?

[Summerstrawberries666]

Hi all

I divorced husband over 4 years ago, at the time we agreed £300per month as part of consent/court order. At the time he had just made sergeant role in police and was on about £32k i believe. He has since progressed and probably had pay rises each year and has recently been made duty inspector. He claims he is now on less money than before due to no longer getting shift allowance when i have queried raising £300.

In the last 2 years he has also remarried and gained 3 step children, with whom he naturally now lives. He states that he already gives me more than enough and is now reponsible for 3 more children depsire their father paying maintenance. Their combined salary, both in police, is almost 5 times mine. he has our son one evening per week and every other weekend.

In essence, he has never been transparent about money and very manipulative on the whole hence divorce. If her children can be taken into account for his maintenance for our child, conversely can her income be taken into account for his reduced outgoings. I guess what i am asking is, should i go to csa or whatever now called regardless and see if he should pay me more or just leave it and not rock the boat. In the police they pay large amounts into pension, so the maintenance is only claculated after that comes out. When i google inspector salary is was £49k.

Thye have very expensive holidays, maldives etc and numerous cars, motorbikes etc then he goes out of his way each time he sees me to tell me he is skint.
Thanks everyone

Have you tried putting the figures into the CMS calculator?

I just did and looks like the CMS would award you £82 per week. It's a bit more than you currently get but not much, unfortunately.

www.gov.uk/calculate-your-child-maintenance/

Hi Lilly

I have tried but because I only have a vague idea of wha he earns pre tax and more importantly before his pension comes out, I don’t really know what it would be. It could be borderline over £300 or a fair bit more depending on his pension payments. Don’t want to rock the boat for extra £5 per month but feel like every time he says he is skint, when I know they earn easy £90k between them, I feel like he is taking me for a fool, I work part time so I can do school pick up, which he has never done, so I am on £17k by comparison.

Yes maintenance will take into account her 3 children and no her income won't be considered. It is likely that he pays into a pension. You should be able to find out how much the police force is expected to contribute for this income.

The fact that together they earn a good income is irrelevant. They have both chosen to have a career they are entitled to it. £300 for one child is not bad if you consider that it is 50% of their need unless you pay high childcare and you don't get tax credits to help.

I would think twice of asking for more it could very much go the other way.

CSA calculation is now gross annual income less pension contributions. An allowance is made for the children living with him but his partner's income is bot considered. It's unlikely he will be earning less now. How much more would you like a month? Perhaps if you advise him if he doesn't thibk about offering more you will go to CMS - but as you've been amicable you'd rather not and see what he says. I'd also try finding out a bit more what his salary could be.