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Hi All
Recently seperated and new to this forum, looking for some advice please?
I seperated from my Wife (i left the family home) and we have 4 Children with 3 living at home. My Daughter (13) and 2 Sons (18 & 21). both my Sons are in full time emplyment and contribrute to the house hold by paying their keep.
The home is rented so no money tied up in it and my Wife works full time.
I left the home with nothing but my clothes as everything in the home (imo) belings to the family and thats just the right thing to do.
So i am required to pay matenence for my Daughter, which i happily do with pleasure, we have not had to go through the CSA and i pay my Wife £450 per month with an additional £20 to pay for my Daughters phone...my question is do you think this is fair?
I only ask because i do not want what is happening between me and her to affect the Kids in a more negative way than is possible if that makes sense?
Thanks in advance.
Personally, I think whatever amount allows your daughter to maintain the same lifestyle and not loose out because of the separation is what's fair, taking into consideration that it is a shared responsibility between you and your ex-wife.
The way the law sees it, you should be paying 12% of your gross salary, so if you're on 45K, 450/month is "fair".
Hello Karl74
In the majority of cases children benefit most when both parents provide for them and they can make arrangements between themselves, so it is positive to hear that you and your children’s mother have been able to do this.
With a family-based arrangement, you and your children’s mother have the freedom and flexibility to decide together what your agreement should be. Child Maintenance Options have a range of tools and guides on their website at http://www.cmoptions.org, which can help you come to a decision about what you both feel is fair.
One of the tools is their online calculator, which can give you an approximate amount of maintenance that would be expected along Government guidelines. ‘The cost of raising your child’ section may also be beneficial.
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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