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Hi everyone,
I posted on this topic about a year ago in anticipation of the dilemma that I now face.
Basically in a nut shell I offered my ex a monthly sum for child maintenance. She didn't accept the amount and asked me to reconsider. I couldn't afford any more than the amount I offered so I've been saving th emoney in limbo for the last few years (my daughter's 4 years old next week). She never raised a case with the CMS until last week and is now asking for all the money that I had been putting aside for my daughter each month (ie the money she wouldn't accept).
I know I've let things go on for too long. I should have opened a CMS myself in the beginning but the past is the past.
My instinct on this is not to give her this money in a lump sum or any of it however morally it is maintenance money- am I right here? Is there a middle ground that I could go down?
Your thoughts are much appreciated.
CMS won't ask you for any money from before the case was opened with them, so my feeling is that you should refuse to give this to you ex, but tell her that you will keep the money in trust for your daughter for when she is older. Wouldn't make any difference if you'd have opened the case instead of your ex (except you've save the £20 fee), the amount would still be the same.
Thanks for getting back to me.
Another option would be to keep hold of it and use it for extras for your daughter... things like school trips, uniforms, treats etc that your ex may ask you to make an extra contribution towards.
Thanks for that- good idea.
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