Splitting Child Ben/Tax Credits for separated parents

[Richard71]

Hi,

My wife and I are about to split up pending divorce. We are both 100% committed to a shared residency, but we don't trust each other much with money.

We don't want either of us to be paying the other alimony or child maintenance, but the Child Benefit / Tax Credit system doesnt recognise this: someone has to hold the book, and claim, and the other person just has to trust that it will be handed over.

Anyone with experience of this? Are there any "proper" ways of doing this (within the child benefit system) or ways to write it up in a court order. Neither of us like the idea of the words "alimony" and "maintenance" in a court order, for one because it implies something we're avoiding, and secondly the amounts of benefits will rise & fall with income and we don't want a figure written in stone.

Cheers,
Richard

I don't know the answers to the questions you're asking, sorry.

If there is nothing the CB/TC people can do, could you set up an a/c specifically to receive those payments, with SOs to your individual accounts out of it - with both signatures required to change it?

Maintenance really does not suggest avoidance Are you sure a shared residency is really the best thing for your child? There are obviously trust issues here so I really do think you should see a solicitor about this. And why does the money have to be 'handed over??' This does seem like an arrangement that will not work I'm afraid.

Thanks purpleturtle, yes, that's something to consider.

badietbuddy, thanks. Its an arrangement I've had very successfully with a child from a previous marriage, and I've never really understood why people are suspicious of it. Of course parents who split up probably have "issues" (trust, amongst others) with each other, but this way the child gets the benefit of full parenting for each. Its a shame the legal and benefit systems have so little regard for it that's its not catered for with something so simple.