# Working Single Parent rights and benefits



## Suedenim (10 Nov 2005)

I am shortly going to be a single parent with two young children.  I work full time, have a mortgage and childcare costs which will take most of my wages.  While I have a well paid job, after these two major expenses there is not a lot left over.  Now that I'm going to be the sole income for running a house and two growing children I expect my money is going to have stretch a lot further.  I'm trying to budget ahead and while I think I'll break-even there is not a lot of scope for unexpected costs.  My childrens Dad will be paying a small amount of maintenance which I have included when budgeting.
I earn above the threshold for Family Income Supplement and Lone Parents allowance as these outgoings above are not taken into account.  I'd be grateful if someone could let me know of any additional benefits/credits that I may qualify for?  I'm a bit nervous about managing.


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## ClubMan (10 Nov 2005)

Presumably you're already receiving Child Benefit for the two kids? Why is the father only paying a "small amount" in maintenance? Can he afford more?


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## Suedenim (10 Nov 2005)

Thanks for the reply Clubman,
I am receiving child benefit - I save it in the childplus high interest account in the post office which means I can't really use it unless I'm willing to also lose the interest it's earned.  Obviously if I have to I can take it out but if I can get by...

He's only paying a small amount as 
1) he is buying his own place and does not have a lot left over,
2) I earn more than him (his argument, not mine, I don't think what I earn should come into it).
3) He's promised to pay extra as extra child-related costs arise. (at the moment I believe him).

For the childrens sake I want to keep everything amicable and I suspect if I push this issue our remaining relationship will deteriorate.

Is child benefit the only money I can claim?  Does my tax-band change?  I currently pay the higher rate of tax.  I'm going to be a hell of a lot worse off in a few weeks time so.


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## Sherman (10 Nov 2005)

The fact that he is buying his own place/increasing his Star Wars figures collection/spending his money anyway he likes is immaterial.

He has a legal obligation to support his children - this comes _before_ anything else such as buying a place of his own.

You're right that the fact that you earn more than him is immaterial.

With all due respect, how do you honestly know he's going to pay more as child related costs increase?


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## ClubMan (10 Nov 2005)

Suedenim said:
			
		

> I am receiving child benefit - I save it in the childplus high interest account in the post office which means I can't really use it unless I'm willing to also lose the interest it's earned. Obviously if I have to I can take it out but if I can get by...


The rate on that account is not actually that much better than standard rates on offer elsewhere. 15% over 5 years is the equivalent of 2.835% _CAR _(based on what the _CAR _calculator here says) gross and net (since there is no _DIRT_) whereas [broken link removed] offers 3.05% gross _CAR _or 2.44% net on sums of €1,000 or more. In any case, if you are saving the _Child Benefit _for the long term (e.g. for secondary or third level education costs etc.) you should really at least consider if something like a low charges equity based investment might not be more appropriate and offer the opportunity for higher returns (albeit with higher risk/volatility). On the other hand if you expect to be finding yourself hard pressed financially sometime soon then perhaps you should be using this money to meet your immediate needs rather than locking it away for the future?



> He's only paying a small amount as
> 1) he is buying his own place and does not have a lot left over,
> 2) I earn more than him (his argument, not mine, I don't think what I earn should come into it).
> 3) He's promised to pay extra as extra child-related costs arise. (at the moment I believe him).
> ...


Fair enough but I am probably not alone in thinking that while you are obviously right to claim any tax credits/allowances and welfare payments to which you are entitled, the father of your children really should be dealing with his responsibilities too in terms of providing financial support for their care and welfare.



> Is child benefit the only money I can claim? Does my tax-band change? I currently pay the higher rate of tax. I'm going to be a hell of a lot worse off in a few weeks time so.


See this thread for more commonly available tax credits/allowances. Make sure that you are not owed tax due to overpayments in past years (up to four years back if I'm not mistaken). If in doubt about your entitlements contact your local  or maybe even MABS (you don't have to be in debt as far as I know) for more information about payments and allowances to which you may be entitled. If you think that you will be under financial pressure soon then now's the time to prepare by collating a spending diary, working out where savings can be made and drawing up a budget to which you will adhere in order to keep your finances under control. See the key topics pinned at the top of this forum for more resources on this sort of stuff (avoiding and getting out of debt).

Can you post more detailed information about your salary (gross and net), other income (_Child Benefit_, payments from the father of the kids etc.), mortgage (original and outstanding amount, term, type - fixed/variable/tracker, lender, rate etc.) and other regular expenditure and bills etc. so that people might suggest where cutbacks/savings might be made?


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## Thrifty (11 Nov 2005)

Hi Suedenim, just as a brief answer to your tax query - i'm presuming you are and your husband are both using your own tax credits against your individual earnings at present. as a single parent you are entitled to an extra tax credit (lone parent credit of €1520) and your lower rate tax band should be increased to €33,400.


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## Suedenim (11 Nov 2005)

Thanks Thrifty, we were never married (I wondered and now I know why).
I just applied for the lone parent tax credit - thanks for alerting me to it.
I am pretty sure I already claim all my relevant tax reliefs already - bins, VHI, Mortgage.

I know it's hard to give advise when I haven't given a lot of information but I am reluctant to post all my financial details for all to see as I know others who use this site.
I checked on www.solo.ie and as I believed, after taking our child-related expenses into account he is paying the correct amount for one child - however we have two children.  I have decided to request that after a period of, say 6 months, he starts to pay a little more.  That should give him sufficient time to cope with the extra expenses of buying his own place.  

I am not trying to increase my income at his expense, just trying to make sure that we have enough disposable income that the childrens lives are not changed too much.  After thinking about this last night I realised that I have two safety nets - the child benefit savings account (interesting points Clubman - I had thought the PO was a great savings scheme - I might move it elsewhere now, but that is for another discussion) and I could always sell what is now my house and move somewhere cheaper.  At the moment I'd like to keep the childrens lives as unchanged as possible to help them adjust so moving would be a last resort, still, it's comforting to know.

Before this, I thought of myself as financially knowlegable and secure - savings in the credit union, maxed SSIA, child benefit, no loans, credit cards paid off regularly - now suddenly my savings are gone (solicitors fees, buying house out) and my credit cards are rising rapidly - it's very unnerving how quickly things can change.  I've been reading the debt boards on the motley fool and have cancelled my Sky, changed my life and house insurances and rethought my food shopping - hopefully small changes like this will help.

Sherman - I don't know that he will come through but I can only hope that he will make the effort for his children.  I'm not sure that, as an umarried couple, I can force the issue, and not sure that I would if I could.  I think, if I can manage, and the next few months will show me that, then I'd rather an amicable relationship and happy children than hostility and more money.  Maybe that's a cop-out?


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## ClubMan (11 Nov 2005)

Suedenim said:
			
		

> I'm not sure that, as an umarried couple, I can force the issue, and not sure that I would if I could.


For information about statutory rights and obligations in the context of civil relationships (ongoing or terminated) it might be worth reading some of .


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## Sherman (11 Nov 2005)

Fair enough Suedenim - but you shouldn't let the fear/his threat of things going sour stop you getting fair provision for his children.

The fact that you weren't married is immaterial - they're still his children, and as such he has a legal (not to mention moral) obligation to provide for them. I think you're letting him away with his responsibilities to be honest.

However, I do understand that this is a very difficult time for all concerned, and that you are doing what you feel is best for your children in terms of trying to keep things relatively stable for them.


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## SarahMc (11 Nov 2005)

Also, apply for the GP Visit card, they will assess you for the medical card at the same time.  They now take childcare and housing costs into consideration, so you may be eligible.


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