Hi,
I've read some horror stories about Dad's achieving 50/50 shared care arrangements through the courts yet the mother continues to pursue child maintenance and is awarded it despite the shared care arrangement purely because the mother is claiming the child benefit.
I'm in a rare position that I've previously had responsibility and had the children spend the majority of time with me so therefore claimed the child benefit (of which I still do) and previously child maintenance. Since then I've obtained a court order awarding a joint lives with order and 50/50 shared care arrangement. I still claim the child benefit but the child maintenance claim has stopped.
I'm currently going through a financial settlement for divorce and the ex continues to ask for the child benefit to be awarded to her, I'm concerned if I do, it will open me up to child maintenance payments despite the court order I have. Has anyone had any experience of this? Also, I'm assuming the courts dealing with the finances couldn't force me to let the mother claim the child benefit as part of settlement?
I've read some horror stories about Dad's achieving 50/50 shared care arrangements through the courts yet the mother continues to pursue child maintenance and is awarded it despite the shared care arrangement purely because the mother is claiming the child benefit.
I'm in a rare position that I've previously had responsibility and had the children spend the majority of time with me so therefore claimed the child benefit (of which I still do) and previously child maintenance. Since then I've obtained a court order awarding a joint lives with order and 50/50 shared care arrangement. I still claim the child benefit but the child maintenance claim has stopped.
I'm currently going through a financial settlement for divorce and the ex continues to ask for the child benefit to be awarded to her, I'm concerned if I do, it will open me up to child maintenance payments despite the court order I have. Has anyone had any experience of this? Also, I'm assuming the courts dealing with the finances couldn't force me to let the mother claim the child benefit as part of settlement?