50:50 custody and benefits

[BeyondRadicalisationPortal]

Afternoon all

I have a few quick questions about money in 50:50 situations, if someone is around who knows the answers? I know (from mn!) that 50:50 would mean no maintenance, and should mean that child tax credit is split afaik? I was wondering if that also applies to child benefit, and what happens with these if one parent is earning and the other is not?

For eg, if one parent is earning an amount where they would not get any CTC, how does that affect the CTC payments for the non-earning parent?

The "CTC" (though now UC) will continue to be paid to me as the parent unable to earn (through disability)

Ta :)

I do 50:50 with ExP and we have a joint account that the child benefit and my son's DLA go into, and we use that for expenses relating to him like paying the childminder or buying clothes. But we're both working.

If you're not working, do you need the CTC as part of your living expenses? In my mind, and assuming that your ex can live on their own income, then the CTC would stay with you. Like you say, if they are earning too much to be eligible for CTC, and it is awarded based on your income, then it is yours.

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules on how to split things like this if you're doing 50:50 (though others may come along with other ideas). It works well for us but we're very amicable and neither of us takes the piss with the joint account. But don't be railroaded into an arrangement you're not happy with.

Child benefit would only go to resident parent (and I believe they won't get involved in disputes, but you could of course claim for 1 each for example) - I believe then the CB is the basis for who receives the Ctc/uc.