How Is Child Maintenance Calculated In Northern Ireland?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

the paying parent's gross weekly income. the number of children the maintenance is to be paid for. the number of nights, on average, the paying parent has the child(children) for each year. the number of other children living in the paying parent's household.

How much child maintenance should a father pay?

On the basic rate, if you're paying for:

one child, you'll pay 12% of your gross weekly income

. two children, you'll pay 16% of your gross weekly income. three or more children, you'll pay 19% of your gross weekly income.

How much should a father pay for child maintenance in Ireland?

The court may order the non-resident parent* to pay a regular amount based on income and . The maximum that the District Court can order from either parent is

€150 per week for each child

.

Is child maintenance based on last years earnings?

How CMS works out earnings from self-employment.

If possible, CMS will work out your average weekly earnings from the most recent tax year

. If they can't because you have only recently started self-employed work, they will use figures from the gross income your business has earned.

How is child maintenance calculated in Ireland?


There is no scientific formula for calculating maintenance in Ireland

. This means that every situation is different and will be considered on its own facts. You need to consider earnings, as well as expenses such as food, housing, medical, education, transport and clothing.

What costs are included in child maintenance?

Child maintenance covers the cost of the everyday care of the child, such as

food, clothes, and housing

. Expenses such as school fees do not fall under child maintenance – parents who are getting a divorce can make a “Family Based Arrangement” to deal with costs like this.

Is child maintenance based on gross or net income?

One of the main changes introduced under the new regime is that, for all new applications, the amount of child maintenance payable will now be made by reference to the non-resident parent's (“NRP”)

gross income

. Gross income will be based on gross income figures without any deductions for tax or national insurance.

Do fathers legally have to pay child maintenance?

Arranging child maintenance

When possible, you should make sure your child is looked after by having an effective maintenance arrangement in place.

Both parents are legally responsible for the financial costs of bringing up their children

, even parents who don't live with their children.

Do I have to pay child maintenance if it's 50/50 Custody UK?


If you have shared care for at least 52 nights a year, you don't need to pay any child maintenance

.

At what age do fathers stop paying maintenance?

The child maintenance endpoint is the age of

18 or when the child finishes their A-levels

. Nonetheless, even though there is an agreement that financial support stops later, this does not cover university education.

What happens if child maintenance is not paid?


CMS can take you to court over unpaid child maintenance

. They can apply for a court order to take legal action. This is a ‘liability order'. If the court grants the order, CMS can then legal action against you.

Is childcare included in child maintenance?

Usually maintenance is a contribution to costs for the parent with the main care of children, made by the non-resident parent. There are no rules for this;

sometimes two people may agree a weekly or monthly cash payment into a bank account and others might agree regular payment of a particular cost such as childcare

.

Do bonuses count towards child maintenance UK?


Bonus payments received will therefore be taken into account when calculating child maintenance

. This can cause problems for some people who receive large bonuses some years but not in others.

Do I still pay child maintenance if my ex remarries?

The answer is no.

When parents divorce, the absent parent (“paying parent”) is obliged by law to pay child maintenance to the parent caring for the child (“receiving parent”)

.

Can child maintenance be reduced?


If payments are reduced or stopped (unless agreed between you), you will be in breach of the court order

. If you genuinely can't meet payments because your income has fallen, you can ask the court to reduce the amount of child maintenance you need to pay.

Do I have to support my wife during separation?

If you're in the process of filing for divorce,

you may be entitled to, or obligated to pay, temporary alimony while legally separated

. In many instances, one spouse may be entitled to temporary support during the legal separation to pay for essential monthly expenses such as housing, food and other necessities.

Do I have to support my ex wife after divorce?


As long as the couple remains married, the court does not set a time limit on spousal support

. Maintenance on the other hand, is support the higher-earning spouse pays after the divorce is finalized.

How do I vary a maintenance order?

In the Maintenance Court, in order to be successful with an application to change an existing maintenance order,

all that one has to prove is a change in circumstance, e.g. that one person is earning more than he/she earned at the time of the granting of the original order

.

Can child maintenance take money from your bank account?


The CSA can take the money from the parent's bank account, wages or benefits

. If your child's other parent doesn't respond to the CSA's attempts to contact them or doesn't pay the arrears, the CSA may apply to the court for a liability order.

What is child maintenance supposed to be used for?

Child maintenance is money

to help pay for your child's living costs

. It's paid by the parent who doesn't usually live with the child to the person who has most day-to-day care of the child. It's also called ‘'.

What can be deducted from child maintenance?

  • the cost of keeping in regular contact with the child or children you pay child maintenance for – for example, the cost of fuel to travel between your home and the child's home.
  • costs to support children who live with you if they have a disability or a long-term illness.

Are school dinners included in child maintenance?

Child maintenance payments are designed to cover the everyday needs of the child such as food, clothing and housing.

School fees are not usually covered under child maintenance

, but a family-based arrangement can be created to cover this.

How often should child maintenance be reviewed?

CMS will also send a child maintenance statement showing any payments made or received during the previous

12 months

. The Annual Review date decision lasts until the next Annual Review 12 months later, unless changes happen that affect payments before then.

Does pension lump sum affect child maintenance?

It's quite common for people over 55 to take one or more tax free lump sums from their pension up to a maximum of 25% of the pension pot.

All other tax free income, like the interest from ISA savings, is not included in the child maintenance calculation

.

Do I have to pay child maintenance if I'm not on the birth certificate?

If an unwed father is not listed on the birth certificate, he has no legal rights to the child. This includes

no obligation to paying child support

and no rights to visitation to custody or child support. If no father is listed on the birth certificate, the mother has sole legal rights and responsibility of the child.

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.