working out CM when i also care for step-son

Hi, Hope you can help, I recently split from my wife and have been paying CM for our daughter via a private agreed arrangement. She also has a boy from a previous relationship who I have brought up for the last 7 years and still have him to stay with me when I have my daughter. Am I able to get a reduction in the amount of money I pay her as I am looking after 2 children when only one of them is legally mine? She does receive CM via CSA from step-sons father.

Any help would be appreciated..

many thanks.

Hi,

I may not be right on this but I'll give it a shot..

I'm guessing as your wife receives maintenance for your step-son, you have not legally adopted him or gained PR??

If that's the case then technically speaking you are not reponsible for him (and really never were). The child maintenance options website has a good calculator tool so you can work out how much you should be paying for your one child.

I would say though, if you have a good relationship with your wife and both children, think hard about the impact this might have on your son (who I'm sure considers you a big part of his life) etc if things get nasty in the future (favouritism could be seen??). I'm just oversensitive at the moment, sorry!!

Hope that's a bit helpful (anyone else correct me if I'm wrong!)

Hi
CSA calculate CM at 15% of net wages for one child and reduce this by 1/7 for each night a child stays with the non resident parent.

www.csa.gov.uk/en/setup/how-maintenance-calculated.asp


www.csa.gov.uk/en/PDF/leaflets/new/CSL303.pdf

Hope this helps

thanks to you both for your replies, I cannot find any info anywhere to say whether or not the fact that I look after him too is taken into account.

As far as I'm aware you can only receive maintenance once for each child. So, the fact that his dad pays for him should mean you don't...I don't think they take care into account (unless, for example, his dad wasn't named as father and din't pay anything, and your wife wanted you to). Like I said it just comes down to the legal standpoint. Maybe ringing the CSA for advice could help??

If you have brought him up for 7 years, I don't think you should even be asking the question. A realtionship is worth more than money.

true, but I'm working on the basis of 'give her an inch and she will take a mile' just want to know where I stand that's all. Some of the horror stories I read on here have made me want to play it by the book from the start.