# Reduced Child maintenance help please



## NicolaM (29 Jun 2009)

I have a friend who is a separated father.

He had been paying €850 maintenance for his child a month, a mutual agreement between him and his ex. There was never a court negotiated payment.
They had not been married so he does not pay her maintenance.
He also pays 50% (or more) of all costs eg school books/summer camps/clothes/Christmas gifts etc.

His financial circumstances have now changed dramatically, and his income has reduced by about half. His gross pay now is approx €40,000.

He is proposing a new maintenance payment of €540 per month, as well as half of all his child's expenses.

Does this seem reasonable sum of money?
She is very unhappy with this new proposal, but he can't afford to pay any more.

Many thanks for any opinions.

Nicola


----------



## mathepac (29 Jun 2009)

It seems reasonable to me in the reduced circumstances.


----------



## holly (30 Jun 2009)

It really depends on the expenses for the child. In my experience, a court ordered maintenance will be one monthly sum which will already include school expenses or childcare costs, if any, and medical and birthdays/christmas, etc. 

Keeping in mind that each parent is equally responsible, €850 x 2 = €1700 a month to support one child: that seems terribly expensive to me unless there are creche fees involved.

The practical thing to do is for your friend to ask for a list of the child's (reasonable) expenses, including everything, split the total in half and agree a new monthly payment. If he feels some expenses are unreasonable, he can negotiate them. That way, he knows what to pay every month and he shouldn't get hit for extra sums during the year. It's better to try and work it out between them than have to go to court, where everything then seems to get nasty.


----------



## Mrs_Doyle (8 Jul 2009)

in all the family law cases ive worked and there have been people from all sorts of incomes/backgrounds ive never seen one case where a father has paid a sum of maintenance that high per month.  He is a very generous parent.  If it did go to court you can be assured the mother would get a big shock in the reduction she would be offered.  Usually its about 100e a week in most cases.


----------



## lightswitch (8 Jul 2009)

I agree with Holly, 50% of the childs expenses is what he should be paying.  Housing may be a part of that depending in the circumstances as you do need a bigger house with a child.  Court is probably better avoided if at all possible as it will just add additional conflict to the situation, but it is an option if nothing else works.


----------

