Maintenance Recovery Department

FiReStOrM xIx

Hi,

I've been separated from the mother of my only child for the past 4 months. This was a mutual decision and as a result no court or any of that nastiness was involved.
I'm currently being given access and sleepovers to my daughter without any problems or incident. We have agreed a maintenance figure of €40 p.w. of which I have not missed one payment or made any attempt to do so.
She lives with her parents and my daughter is 4 years old. I have just recieved a letter from the maintenance recovery department demanding that I increase my payments from 40€ p.w. to €100 p.w.
This has put me under and immense amount of stress and I don't know what to do. I have a loan of 60€ p.w. and only earn 480€ p.w net.... rent is 160€ (lease with 6 months left) and i have to travel to collect my daughter (64 miles round trip) every week.
I have no idea where they have come up with this outlandish figure but it is not remotely affordable or reasonable given my current financial state. I have sought legal advice and am currently waiting on word back.
Is there anyone else who's had this happen to them? What world have they decided that i can afford this? And they have threatened me with court , a fine and/or jail time. I work, spend time with my daughter every week, have a decent relationship with my ex for our daughter (and my) sake,pay my taxes without complaint, have never abused the system and this is what happens? Any advice is much appreciated.

Yours sincerely

One extremely stressed out single father.

myshirt

€100 per week isn't too onerous on your wage. Though I hear you on your financial situation.

As relates to your outgoings, I always say line them up into a Q. Priority payment always the kid, and then whatever after. If the items at the back of the Q do not get paid, then that's it, just keep acting to improve your situation. But the €100 for the kid needs to come first, 100 million %.

Cannot see a court reducing that with ease.

Have you an advisor on side?

FiReStOrM xIx

myshirt wrote: »

€100 per week isn't too onerous on your wage. Though I hear you on your financial situation.

As relates to your outgoings, I always say line them up into a Q. Priority payment always the kid, and then whatever after. If the items at the back of the Q do not get paid, then that's it, just keep acting to improve your situation. But the €100 for the kid needs to come first, 100 million %.

Cannot see a court reducing that with ease.

Have you an advisor on side?

€100 a week is extortionate on my wages by all means. If I had no outgoings and lived at home rent free with all my meals paid for fair enough. If I never paid maintenance or bought clothes, footwear etc for my daughter maybe I'd deserve these guys coming in like this.
The amount they've decided was without consultation from me, based on rent of 51€ per week and no debt, food, travel etc.. in other words not the real (or many variations of fictional) world(s).
I'm awaiting a response from my solicitor.
I would greatly appreciate any input from someone who's went through this please.



Also it is very important you note that the increase of €60 p.w. will NOT go to my daughter. It will be paid to the social welfare dept. And placed into the exchequer as a RECOVERY plan (as stated on the depts name).

Extremely cynical bully boy tactics. Typical of this government but thats a different conversation.

Gest

FiReStOrM xIx wrote: »

€100 a week is extortionate on my wages by all means. If I had no outgoings and lived at home rent free with all my meals paid for fair enough. If I never paid maintenance or bought clothes, footwear etc for my daughter maybe I'd deserve these guys coming in like this.
The amount they've decided was without consultation from me, based on rent of 51€ per week and no debt, food, travel etc.. in other words not the real (or many variations of fictional) world(s).
I'm awaiting a response from my solicitor.
I would greatly appreciate any input from someone who's went through this please.



Also it is very important you note that the increase of €60 p.w. will NOT go to my daughter. It will be paid to the social welfare dept. And placed into the exchequer as a RECOVERY plan (as stated on the depts name).

Extremely cynical bully boy tactics. Typical of this government but thats a different conversation.

How much is the exchequer paying every week to your ex?

Rackstar

The cost of taking care of your child is the same no matter what you earn. Id say you are getting off lightly. €100 is very fair.

FiReStOrM xIx

Gest wrote: »

How much is the exchequer paying every week to your ex?

I would assume €200 p.w.
Not my concern.. I pay my taxes and have worked all my life. I don't owe this government a cent. Also pay combined tax and usc of over €100 p.w. as it stands so I don't understand what your trying to insinuate.

Gest

FiReStOrM xIx wrote: »

I would assume €200 p.w.
Not my concern.. I pay my taxes and have worked all my life. I don't owe this government a cent. Also pay combined tax and usc of over €100 p.w. as it stands so I don't understand what your trying to insinuate.

I am trying to insinuate that the exchequer is paying money to your ex to raise your child and is trying to pull back some of the cost from you. I think if you interact with them ye might reach a compromise on the figure.

FiReStOrM xIx

Gest wrote: »

I am trying to insinuate that the exchequer is paying money to your ex to raise your child and is trying to pull back some of the cost from you. I think if you interact with them ye might reach a compromise on the figure.

Yes. But that's why we pay taxes. What about all the people paying 0 maintenance, never working 1 day in their lives and living off the state? This is not the question im asking.

I want someone who has been through this and understands to share their experience with me please.

Trolls and opinions need not apply.

FYI the exchequer pays her 200e p.w.
They wish for me to pay half this? And as i would kindly point out the cost of raising a 4year old p.w is not 200€. Don't forget both parents have a 50/50 split in financial responsibility.

End of that anyway. Please no more opinions on what you think. Just want someone who's been here before. Thanks for your opinions, i do respect and appreciate them.

Gest

FiReStOrM xIx wrote: »

FYI the exchequer pays her 200e p.w.
They wish for me to pay half this? And as i would kindly point out the cost of raising a 4year old p.w is not 200€. Don't forget both parents have a 50/50 split in financial responsibility.

You said above you are paying e40 p/w maintenance. If you are paying 50/50 you are surely paying more? If you are providing other things like clothes/food etc. you should give them proof of this and they may not look for the increase.

Rackstar

FiReStOrM xIx wrote: »

They wish for me to pay half this? And as i would kindly point out the cost of raising a 4year old p.w is not 200€. Don't forget both parents have a 50/50 split in financial responsibility.

Does it not cost more than €200 a week to raise a child?

Rent / Mortgage / Upkeep
Electricity
Gas
Medical
Dental
Food
Clothing
School Books
School bus
Child Minder

The list goes on. I don't have children but I thought it'd be more than 200 taking everything into account.

FiReStOrM xIx

Gest wrote: »

You said above you are paying e40 p/w maintenance. If you are paying 50/50 you are surely paying more? If you are providing other things like clothes/food etc. you should give them proof of this and they may not look for the increase.

Yup,we worked out the cost of my daughter (inc extra corriculur activities) and was somewhere in the region of 60-70€ p.w.
My ex partner (we were not married) wanted 30€ p.w. maintenance. I pay 40€ as a gesture of goodwill to her.
She's happy,my daughters happy and I'm happy.
The maintenance is not an issue and when she goes to school it will increase, i have already agreed to this.
So lets put that argument to bed and not lose sight of what I've asked.
Anyway I will pay whatever i need to my daughter.
The point is this money will not go to her.
it will not benefit her.
It will only put me under uneccessary financial pressures due to a greedy dept looking to cut costs. End of story.
Trolls go back to your caves please.

Tasden

Rackstar wrote: »

Does it not cost more than €200 a week to raise a child?

Rent / Mortgage / Upkeep
Electricity
Gas
Medical
Dental
Food
Clothing
School Books
School bus
Child Minder

The list goes on. I don't have children but I thought it'd be more than 200 taking everything into account.

You're right, it is.

FiReStOrM xIx

Tasden wrote: »

You're right, it is.

Trolls are out in force I see.

All I can say regarding that is you don't have children. Many of those costs you listed are not applicable.

Also to the person who said it could be worse,your wrong.
The most they can ask for is 100€ per child so no I'm not 'getting off lightly'.

MouseTail

If neither of you were dependent on SW, maintenance could be mutually agreed, and it would be no ones business but your own, as it is, it is the Depts business.

You can appeal, your loan repayments wont be taken into account, but rent and living expenses are. 20% of your income is not unreasonable for maintenance.

jimmycrackcorm

Rackstar wrote:

Rent / Mortgage / Upkeep Electricity Gas Medical Dental Food Clothing School Books School bus Child Minder

Rackstar wrote:

Does it not cost more than €200 a week to raise a child?

Rackstar wrote:

The list goes on. I don't have children but I thought it'd be more than 200 taking everything into account.

So if you have 4 kids then you will need to earn 4k after tax per month?

Rackstar

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

So if you have 4 kids then you will need to earn 4k after tax per month?

Well to be honest I'd really doubt it, unless you're going to have them all with different women. It'd start getting really pricey then, don't forget though you'd be splitting the cost with the mothers.

haveringchick

FiReStOrM xIx wrote: »

I would assume €200 p.w.
Not my concern.. I pay my taxes and have worked all my life. I don't owe this government a cent. Also pay combined tax and usc of over €100 p.w. as it stands so I don't understand what your trying to insinuate.

You cchoose to live in accommodation beyond your means. You decided to live far enough away from your child that it's cposting you big time in petrol. Why do you think I as a taxpayer should pay for your desicions? Or where do you think your exes OPFP comes from?

Tasden

FiReStOrM xIx wrote: »

Trolls are out in force I see.

All I can say regarding that is you don't have children. Many of those costs you listed are not applicable.

Also to the person who said it could be worse,your wrong.
The most they can ask for is 100€ per child so no I'm not 'getting off lightly'.

I have a child and I know the costs involved.

With regards to "getting off lightly", if your ex starts to work she will need to put the child in childcare I'm assuming? That alone would cost well over 100 a week. If your ex were living independently and paying rent and childcare and everything else that goes along with raising a child you would both be paying a hell of a lot more than 100 per week.

As it stands your ex is claiming social welfare to financially support your child and is also being helped by her parents by staying in the family home. You're being asked to pay €100 per week, it could be much "worse". You're both responsible for your child. She has no income and so she is supported by social welfare. You have an income so you need to provide for your child from that.

hdowney

I LOVE how everyone who doesn't agree with your viewpoint is a troll! Also telling people not to comment?!! It is a PUBLIC forum. They have the right. If you didn't want comments you shouldn't have posted. I think you are either going to have to suck it up and pay or get onto the dept and try to negotiate.

cee_jay

Please acquaint yourself with forum charter OP. First of all, criticising govt. Depts is not acceptable around these parts. Calling out other posters as trolls does nobody any favours either. Thread locked.