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I currently have an agreement with my sons mum and pay CSA through them. We work a 2 week cycle for contact which averages out she has him one evening a week more than I do. We are both headteachers and she earns more than I do. I find it difficult to understand why or how CSA isn't means tested? She earns more than me yet I have to pay her considerably despite her only having him one night a week more than me? Is this viewed a fair process? All that does is take away money that I could spend on actually doing things with my son yet increases the disposable income she has to do things.
She has is now moving house which is further away. Obviously I am desperate to still see my son as frequent as I do but it is now going to cost me even more due to travel expenses and I will have to pay for before and after school care. Currently my parents collect him after school which saves me after school fees. Due to their age it wouldn't be fair to have them travelling to the new school.
So, due to her deciding to move house, the quality of time I get with my son will change. My parents will see him less and financially I will be worse off because I still have to pay CSA as well as now fund before and after school care and travel expenses giving me less disposable income to actually spend on my son. Is this something I just have to accept?
Hi there
It's worth speaking to CMS to find out if you are eligible to apply for a variation order that takes into account travel and childcare expenses. They often don't tell parents about the variation orders.
Hello Bretherton
As you have a family-based arrangement in place any negotiations would have to be done between yourself and the other parent. Family-based arrangements are not legally enforceable and there are no strict rules or formulas to follow. Therefore, parents can decide the terms of their agreement to suit their current circumstances.
Child maintenance payments are not means tested because they are your own personal contribution towards the upbringing of your child. Therefore, whatever the other parent earns does not really impact that.
Any overnight stays that your child has with you should be taken into account when calculating how much maintenance should be paid.
There is a maintenance calculator on the Child Maintenance Options website, as well as a useful tools and guides section that you and the other parent may find helpful when trying to negotiate your family-based arrangement. This can be found at www.cmoptions.org.
If you would like further information on what the Child Maintenance Service takes into account when calculating child maintenance, I have included a link that you may find useful www.gov.uk/how-child-maintenance-is-work...ut-child-maintenance.
For more information on the different ways to set up child maintenance and a more personalised service, you can contact Child Maintenance Options directly.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a web application, ‘Sorting out separation’. It aims to make it much easier for separating and separated parents (and childless couples) to find the support they need, when and where they need it, and encourages them to collaborate on a range of issues. The link is http://www.dad.info/divorce-and-separation/sorting-out-separation.
Regards
William
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