Joint account for children

[InAState22]

Can’t find the answer to this online.

Divorced and have retained joint account with EXh for us both to contribute to kids’ needs. Recently advised that retaining a financial link between us not a great idea.

Exh is financially abusive and would not agree with paying money into an account for me, even though I do all the day to day money management for the kids. So thought I would open a joint account in the kids’ names for us to both pay into. They aren14 and 16.

However, this is not straightforward. Kids’ accounts don’t seem to allow for joint names, plus don’t have an overdraft facility which we sometimes need. I really don’t want to open separate accounts for each child, it’s going I be hard enough to convince EXH to change the arrangement (and contribute more).

Is there any bank that offers a current account which will enable teens to be named on the account but me to manage it? Or I am missing something obvious?

Menopause brain, sorry if am missing something obvious.

I don't think you can get children's accounts in joint names, and I don't think children's accounts can have overdrafts either, I'm afraid.

You can't have joint accounts for under 18's and you can't have overdraft facilities or direct debits. You can open accounts for them each individually as a trustee so you manage and have access.
If this money is his regular child maintenance payment then he needs to be paying it to you. He doesn't get a choice in the matter. Either your solicitor or the CMS need to be telling him that. And if he doesn't agree to pay, CMS will simply take it off his wage and charge him an extra 20% for the privilege.

Thanks to you both.

I think I have 2 options: 1. He pays me, as you say Delilah - which could be tricky without a court order but would resolve the issue or 2. Open a savings account in the kids names, get him to contribute to that, and then transfer it into my own account.

Either way feels clumsy tbh but it does need sorting. Thanks again.

You have a third option.
CMA.
Do it so that you are free of him (still) financially controlling you.
This assumes that you are in the UK.
No court order needed

It wouldn’t offer an overdraft, but you could look into using HyperJar prepaid debit cards. You’d need one card each (and potentially cards for the children), but you could then share jars for specific purposes without being financially linked in the same way as a joint account.

You don't need a court order for child maintenance in the UK. Just a call to the CMS and they will sort it for you. He'll be given the chance to pay you direct and if he doesn't then they will collect it for you, which will cost you 2% and him 20% extra. Don't let him push you around anymore.

I’m not sure your option 2 would work - I think once the money is in the child’s name it legally belongs to them and therefore I don’t think you could then transfer it to an account in your name, only to another account in the child’s name.

Thanks for pointing this out, Chessie.

OK, I can see that my only option is closing the joint account and asking him to pay me direct. And to pay more, via the CMS.

Thanks to you all. Massively helpful.