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Hi,
I currently have a family based agreement with my ex regarding child maintenance. However, she periodically asks me for extra money for things such as swimming clubs.
Does anyone know if you set up an arrangement with the CMS is my ex still entitled to ask me for extra money, or is it strictly the amount set up by CMS?
Many thanks in advance,
Hi there
Once a payment schedule has been set up through the CMS, the calculated amount is all you would be required to pay, anything extra is at your discretion, but none of us wants to see our kids go without and she would probably still try and get more money from you when extra expenses crop up.
Have you done the calculation to see what you might be expected to pay via the CMS? Here's a link to the calculator, which gives an estimate of amount.
www.gov.uk/check-your-child-maintenance
All th best
Hello kristal17
As Mojo mentioned, according to Government guidelines, if an application was made to the Child Maintenance Service, you would only legally responsible for the amount worked out by them and would not be obliged to pay for anything extra.
If you are unhappy with your existing family-based arrangement, you may wish to consider re-negotiating your agreement so that it works for both you and your ex-partner.
There are some tools and guides on Child Maintenance Options website at http://www.cmoptions.org that may be able to help you. One of these is the family-based arrangement form. Putting your agreement down in writing doesn’t make it legally binding, but it can help make it more formal.
You can also find more information about how the Child Maintenance Service work out child maintenance payments on Gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325219/how-we-work-out-child-maintenance.pdf.
For more information on the different ways to set up child maintenance and for a more personalised service, you can visit the Child Maintenance Options website.
The DWP have a sorting out separation website that you may find useful. It offers help and support to separating and separated families. The link is: https://www.sortingoutseparation.org.uk/.
Regards
William
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