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Separation and maintenance payments

  • 03-03-2019 10:54PM
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I'm a guy in my 40's - separated, soon to be divorced. I have 3 kids with my ex partner, and following meditation meetings I was instructed to pay €150 per week maintenance, approx €8k per year.

    I take home approx €30k per year after tax, so it's a huge chunk of my income. I have a mortgage that is approx €12k per year. I have no issue paying towards my kids upbringing but this amount seems very high to me. I take the kids every second weekend, and they stay with me mid week 1-2 nights per week too. So I do see them a lot and already contribute a lot to their lives and upbringing.

    Meanwhile, my ex works part-time, claims the children's allowance, FIS, rent allowance, and now 8k maintenance, taking home over €40k per year. I'm left with approx 10k for living expenses and running a car and home. It doesn't seem balanced or fair in my eyes.

    Any other single fathers out there that are in a similar situation?
    Advice on how to tackle this? The mediator seems to have no sense of balance.
    What kind of maintenance payments agreements are standard?


Comments

  • #2
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    My situation is close to yours. I'm currently paying about 170 per week. My income after tax is just over 30k, my rent is close to 20k a year. I have the kids a minimum of 4 days a week, plus every second weekend, and almost all holidays/school breaks. I'm left with about 9k a year for living expenses (mine and my children's) and to maintain my car.

    My ex is getting all the benefits you listed, has a higher income than me, and keeps asking for more. Her opinion is that I should get a second job, or just "earn more".

    I applied for a variation of maintenance. I intend to go to court until I have penny, to dispute everything. Should I find myself with nothing left, then I will have to claim maintenance from her. That would be interesting to see.


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