How does change of job affect maintenance?

[Scrufts]

Hi Gents,
I have a voluntary agreement with my ex that I work out maintenance on from my P60 and Government Child Maintenance Calculator.
I was made redundant in March last year, got a new job in april 2022 and left in december.Since the start of new financial year I have been paying my ex maintenance based on my most recent P60. I have started a new job on 22nd may this year which is a higjer salary.
Do I continue to pay maintenance based on my P60 until my new P60 in April 2024 or do I recalculate it based on my current gross salary?

 

[Ash]

Hi and welcome. Basically whatever you agree between you. What I did was agree an average amount that didn't go up or down each year, on a voluntary basis (because I'm self employed). However it stayed the same for many years and she started pestering for more money a few years ago - when I was paying well over what an assessment would be. I was being threatened with all sorts - she wanted a lot more (this was just spite because I'd enforced the order). She didn;t need the money - both she and her H had good jobs and loads of money! So I opened a case with the CMS and asked them to do an assessment. They contacted her to see if she wanted the assessment and she said no. Ha ha because she knew it would be less. So they said well if you don't want an assessment he doesn't have to pay you anything. So then she said yes she wanted the assessment. As I knew, the assessment would be very very low. I then wrote to her offering to continue the current agreed amount as before and not a peep.

Sorry sidetracked a bit there. If you ask for a CMS assessment they would base it on HMRC tax for the last tax year, not what you're currently earning. So did you pay less maintenance when you weren't working and did the ex accept that? You can still agree a "family based arrangement" of a certain amount per month but it's a good idea to at least have that confirmed in a text. Then it would only change if she (or you) asks the CMS for an assessment.