[Solved] will I have to pay maintainance

Hi - you will definitely be liable to pay child maintenance. Spousal maintenance will be decided by the court as part of the divorce proceedings. They will certainly expect your wife to work if there is no reason for her not to do so. However, if you go for custody with the financial reasoning as one of your main reasons, the court will not be impressed with this - it needs to be put in terms as what is in the best interests of your daughter.

yeh, the financial side is just one aspect, which I know it won't do me any favours to bring up in court. It's just something I consider.

I am secure in my belief that living with me will give her the best opportunity in life for a variety of reasons. Needless to say, the missus doesn't agree, although she was originally in favour of me having custody she has now changed her mind.

I would though, like to know the potential financial implications of what might happen

Hi There,

As actd has said (and you agree) using the financial status as a reason won't do you any favours, but you can include it, as in, I am financially stable in full time employment, though then you will also need to show that you have a plan in place for child care whilst you are at work.

If your ex gets custody, then as said she would be expected to gain emloyment to maximise her income, that wouldn't effect what you would be liable to pay throug child maintenance though as that is worked out as a percentage of your wage.

GTTS

TBH I don't mind paying child maintainance if thats what it comes to. I've looked up the amounts and it's not too severe and I feel I should pay for my daughters upkeep.

What really worries me (financially -there's plenty else that worries me too!!) is spouse maintainance, I hear all these stories of blokes being financially ruined by spousal maintainance, taking half your pay etc etc while the men are forced into poverty. I can't afford to run two homes, [censored] I can't afford to run one!

Here's my nightmare scenario, she goes on the social, they chase me for money, she shacks up 'unofficially' with some bloke and suddenly I'm paying my wife to shack up in a house I'm paying for, eating food I'm paying for, while they live in luxury on his pay, because it's unofficial, and I live in poverty until my daughter is 18, by which time I will be 62 and nicely ready to retire, into poverty because I've been screwed for money for the last 14 years of my life!

Hi There,

Spousal maintenance isn't actually awarded that often, The only times it is would be if you were to earn a very substancial wage, on an average wage of 20-30k I haven't heard of any one having to pay spousal maintenance.

The idea of it is so that the ex can continue to live in the same lifestyle as they did before the seperation, but the ex also has a responsibility to maximise thier own income through employment.

Unless you are on a very high wage I wouldn't be overly worried about this as as long as you are paying your mainenance for the children then you should be ok.

GTTS