# Reasonable Maintenance?



## mummydearest (1 Apr 2013)

Hi There, 

Just wondering if you could help me calculate a reasonable maintenance request(through the courts) if I give some figures? I have 3 children and the current rate of maintenance is €250pm as XH only pays for 2/3 (long story). 

My monthly earnings are as follows: 

Employment: 1,166.66
SW/FIS:       1,466.40
Child Benefit:   390.00

Total income: 3023.06

Outgoings total 3,160.00pm

The total portion of this relating to the two children he pays maintenance for is €1,644 (including everyday things, school, transport, housing, special occasions etc.) and I have requested 50% of this which is €822pm or €94 per child per week, but XH says I am being unreasonable, he will not however tell me what he thinks IS reasonable. 

I really would prefer not to be on any SW payments and see no good reason to be drawing this amount of SW when their father earns 42Kpa, so the idea is to replace the SW payment with Maintenance and have our children supported by their parents and not the state. 

He earns approximately 42K per annum and has a mortgage & bills of approx 1K pm.

Can anyone help me figure it out?


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## WizardDr (3 Apr 2013)

@mummydearest

This is not an exact science. Has your XH provided an affidavit as to his financial affairs?
That is for starters.

The figures vary as to maintenance. 

You have listed out the expenses - ask him what he wants to cut and what he will tell the children. 

Also the DSW do look into what the XH is paying and could pay and may go seek information from him. Tell him that as you are on DSW payment it is possible that at the next review date they will ask you about XH. Ask him what he would like you to say.

Hope that helps.

I will see if I can dig out figures.


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