Stepson Maintenance

Hi,
I am trying to come to an agreement with my ex regarding maintenance for my daughter and stepson.
My stepson was 6mths old when I met my ex in 2004, she told me some story about how his father wanted nothing to do with him, I later found out that this was due to some nasty allegations made against him
We eventually got married in Dec 2006 and then split in 2009, with funny enough some nasty allegations made against me.

My ex has always let my stepson call me dad since he could talk but has always explained to him that I'm not his real dad and that I choose to be his dad.

When we moved in together I put everything i had £40k into buying a house, I have help pay for holidays etc for the family and we basically lived joint lives with joint money since we bought our house in summer 2006.

My ex gave birth to my daughter in 2008.
After our split she has been left with the FMH and all assets, I have had to find a lot of money to start again and now find myself in a lot of debt. She works full time in a well paid job and claims child tax credits etc.

Currently my ex wife is demanding I pay for two children even though she has taken money from my stepsons real father, who might I add is not on the birth certificate.
She knows where he is and has even been in contact with his parents regarding their grandson who she will not let them see.

Can someone please advise what I should be paying for?
I am going by the CSA calculator but want to know if she took me too court could she get payment for both as she claims she can?

My new girlfriend and I are looking to the future and will one day want to start a family, this is a big deciding factor.

Thanks
Bengy2875

Morning,

Sorry to read of your situation. Sounds like my circumstances. You get left with all the debts and she stays in FMH...where is the fairness here? Question Id ask is did you take on the role of a father to your stepson...Answer sounds like a 'yes' to me.

Id say you need to speak with the CSA about this because even though he isnt your natural son you may find you might have to pay something because in your marriage he is known as a 'child of the family', and the courts will look at his long term well being.

One point to consider here is that if the natural father is already paying maintenance that surely would have an impact on you paying. Id also speak to a solicitor. Assume you are still going through a divorce right now as maintenance would of been brought up as part of the process.

Regards
DA

The first port of call for child maintenance is the natural father. Only if he couldn't be traced or you had accepted the responsibility of maintaining your step son without contributions from the natural father are the courts likely to order CM.