Complicated child maintenance situation

Hi,
I'm hoping to get a few pointers here on what way I should proceed as regards child maintenance.

I am running my own new business, but have not reached a point yet of achieving regular and reliable earnings from this. I am set up under a new enterprise grant from social welfare where I receive normal weekly dole payments as assistance in starting the new business.

My ex partner is on back to education allowance from social welfare.

We had a baby 3 weeks ago, for the past few months I have been putting €50/week in to a savings account under my name for the baby. To date, this money has been used for buying various things for the baby like a car seat, cot etc.

While the account is under my name, the mum has had full usage of the money. Now that the child is born, I've to setup the long term method of providing maintenance.

Given both our situations, I'm not sure what the correct way of doing so is. Do I have to notify social welfare of the maintenance being paid? Does the fact that I'm receiving a new enterprise grant affect the process?

I'll be meeting with someone to discuss this but I thought I'd post here in the mean time.

While I'm here, I plan on continuing to give €50/week for now, which I know isn't much but I can't quite afford much more for the moment. I have read that the average cost of raising a child for the first year is approximately €5000 - €50/week covers half of this. Am I way off here?

Any use?

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e.../maintenance_and_social_welfare_payments.html

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...ivorce/maintenance_orders_and_agreements.html

http://ec.europa.eu/civiljustice/maintenance_claim/maintenance_claim_ire_en.htm

I don't know about the enterprise grant issues.

I would imagine that figures such as €5K to raise a child from 0-1 are purely indicative and the actual costs really depends on ones personal circumstances, lifestyle etc.

If things are amicable between the two of you then presumably it will be a lot easier to discuss matters, come to reasonable/pragmatic arrangements etc. If not then obviously it will probably be more difficult...

Sounds like you're doing everything according to the book, although there may be a little confusion over the account. If the account is in your name, then how do you quantify how much you are actually giving your ex in maintenance? It may be better to simply pay your ex a certain amount of money as agreed, but if this is working for you and is amicable, there's probably no reason to change it, unless one of the below circumstances applies.

Depending on who the baby lives with most of the time, either one of you can claim an increase in your social welfare payment for the child.

I'm presuming you're on the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. If that's the case, there's no need for you to tell social welfare about any maintenance paid, as it is a non-means tested payment. Your ex's payment on BTEA is also not means tested, so she won't have any obligation to advise them of the maintenance being received either, unless she is also receiving rent supplement. Maintenance by her received WILL affect her rent supplement.

If your ex was to start work, and come off all social welfare payments, then the maintenance that you're paying could entitle you to an increase in your payment for the child, even if the child isn't living with you.

If child is living partially with you, you may also be entitled to a lone parent tax credit which could help reduce your tax bill at the end of the year. This applies regardless of who the child is considered to be living with for social welfare purposes.