Tell us what you think about CM Options

Dear Wikipeeps,

Wikivorce needs your help with some feedback on the child maintenance Options Service which we have been working with for some time now. If you have any views on how the Service works please share them on this thread.

We also have some specific questions about the new section here on Wikivorce about the Child Maintenance Options service www.wikivorce.com/divorce/Child-Maintenance.html launched at the beginning of the year. We'd really like to hear what you think of it. Have you found it useful? Did it prompt you to contact Options? If you have got in touch with Options, what did you think of the service you received?

Thank you for your help

Hadenoughnow

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Re:Is CM 20% of basic income or includes extras? 1 Hour, 57 Minutes ago
I phoned CM Options and they did not have a clue. Just spoken to CSA and they said (in a scouse accent) "we look at whats paid into your bank account each month and work it out from that"
A bit hit and miss I think!

Thanks for everyones comments though and I will ­base­ it on the CM Calculator.

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The Options stuff was not around when I applied for maintenance but even if it had been I think the CSA was the only avenue as he certainly was not going to agree to anything voluntarily.

My experience was that they were perfectly nice - but I spoke to a different person every time and in the end after months of waiting I got a call out of the blue from someone who was ready to sort everything pretty much straight away. However the payments were ony backdated for a few months not back to the time I originally claimed ... TBH it is still a bit of a mystery how they worked it all out - and how they are getting the money but as long as it keeps coming I shan't be asking questions .

Hadenoughnow

There are reams of child support legislation and regulations and the CSA/C-MEC/CM Options staff operate using handbooks which sometimes leave a lot to be desired.

The Child Support (Maintenance Calculations and Special Cases) Regulations 2000 laid down the current rules as to what is counted as income for employed earners but new rules introducing % of gross earnings for the self employed have been in place since ??2007.

Bump ... How have you all sorted out your CM??