Child maintenance

**Katman** · 21st March 2010, 15:02

I heard a story yesterday about a guy who is paying $3000 a month in Child Maintenance - of which his ex-partner only recieves $650. He was told the rest goes toward admin fees (read, Government coffers) and offsetting the fact that many people are not paying any maintenance.

Am I the only one who thinks this is scandalous?

**Nasty** · 21st March 2010, 15:16

Sounds riduculous to me ... that money is meant to go to the child ... if the mother is on DPB there are some costs associated .. and if they are paying through IRD there are some ... but they can always do a private agreement to skip that wastage from what i understand.

**Maha** · 21st March 2010, 15:27

My $$$'s are a private arrangement with my ex, fuck that IRD thing, too tough.

**Headbanger** · 21st March 2010, 15:30

Sounds like lies to me.

**Katman** · 21st March 2010, 15:32

Originally Posted by Headbanger

Sounds like lies to me.

The guy telling me the story pays $600 a month - of which his ex gets $380.

Sounds like it's not an uncommon occurance.

**Duke girl** · 21st March 2010, 15:33

If you are lucky enough to sort it out amongst you and your X then you are dam lucky cos there are people out there who get more than what they deserve when it comes to receiving Child Maintenance. I was always led to believe that it comes down to how much you earn to how much you pay out.

**mashman** · 21st March 2010, 15:38

It was a huge flop in the UK... cost a fortune to implement and charged parents until they bled... mind you, some of them didn't really help their own cause...

**Subike** · 21st March 2010, 15:43

I wonder how much of that $3000 is back payment for years of not paying any contrabution at all.
Kiwis are bad payers when it comes to LPC ,
Because it is collected via the IRD, many think it is a govt tax thus deliberatly try to avoid it, or try to give false details about their income, so their assesment is low.
Having been the recipiant of LPC, the dept coninurs till it is paid, long after the child on you care no longer qualifies because of their age.
My ex had to pay me directly a undesclosed sum for 5 years after my son had left home, because she tried to cheat the system.
LPC dept never goes away, even if they have to wait till you draw the pention, they will get it.
So this guys $3k I suggest is back pay on unpaid LPC dept.
It can be crippling, but they are your kids you pay for.

**MaxB** · 21st March 2010, 15:44

AFAIK there is a formula for calculating child support based on income levels, number of children, new dependents etc. The problem is the DPB is pegged at so much per week. If the non-custodial parent earns heaps the it is possible to have IRD take more than the maximum weekly amount. They gobble up the excess and tell you to fuck off. I guess some of it goes to the families of shitbags who don't pay anything for their kids.

That can be avoided by getting a separation agreement drawn up when separating. Anyone with half a brain can see the kids would be better off.

But the desire to hurt the other partner often means there is no agreement so the custodial parent (usually the woman) goes on the DPB and feeds the other parent to the IRD.

**Jantar** · 21st March 2010, 15:57

I believe the current child support formula maxs out at a little over $2000 per month. There is a formula thet takes the liable parent's salary, subtracts a basic living allowance (around $14000), then applies a percetnage to the remainder depending on the number of children. For the purpose of applying this formula there is a maximum salary of around $105,000. However this story is common.

When I was paying child support for my 3 kids (a few years ago now), the IRD were taking $1200 per month and my ex was receiving $450. I suggested to my ex that we come to a private arrangement whereby I would pay her $900 a month directly, and take over all of the 3 kids school and medical costs. She refused to even consider a private agreement. So the goverrnment ripped me off and paid her a pittance.

**sidecar bob** · 21st March 2010, 16:07

Originally Posted by Headbanger

Sounds like lies to me.

Absolutely not.
Example one, A couple, both doctors & on huge income, she has their two kids & a six figure income, he lives alone also with six figure income. He pays $3.500 per month, (a percentage of his income) & she is deemed to be worth giving about $40 per week based on her income, & thats all she gets.
Example two, total loser on the dole, he lives alone, she, total loser on the dole, with his six kids, both sit on their arses all day smoking pot & still sleeping together, he pays about $20 per week from his dole, which is taxpayers money anyway, she gets $100's (which doctor bloke paid in to)
Really fair aint it.
Thank Christ for private arrangments.

**Genie** · 21st March 2010, 16:10

Interesting, just had conversation with my ex as his payments have hit $380 a week. He earns truckloads or is that boatloads???

I am on the DPB and I get extra payments each month, what he pays that is above DPB is forwarded on to me, no charges taken out but I do note that they pay me about 6 weeks after receiving it from him, interest they earn would be their cut. I have thought many times of having a private arrangement wiht him but due to his past fickleness I'm sticking with the status quo.

The system works way better than is used to but I still can't understand why because his girlfriend lives with him, earns her own wage (on the boat as well) and is in no way supported by him (financially), his child support is reduced by about $50 per week. He also agrees this is flawed but is happy to take advantage of this loop hole.

I'd guess that in your friends situation someone is not telling the whole story and as IRD send out statement each year (just got mine) both parties know how much is assesed for payment. I'm not sure who would have informed him of the 'it goes into the government coffers', hasn't been that way for about 6 years I think.

If his ex is on the DPB she would not receive all of it anyway. And I'm sure she wouldn't be stupid enough to tell him how much she gets, I'd never tell my ex as he'd use it as an excuse not pay for any extras along the way. Sports and motorbikes etc and things his children love to do and he helps out with.

**Genie** · 21st March 2010, 16:12

Originally Posted by sidecar bob

Absolutely not.
Example one, A couple, both doctors & on huge income, she has their two kids & a six figure income, he lives alone also with six figure income. He pays $3.500 per month, (a percentage of his income) & she is deemed to be worth giving about $40 per week based on her income, & thats all she gets.
Example two, total loser on the dole, he lives alone, she, total loser on the dole, with his six kids, both sit on their arses all day smoking pot & still sleeping together, he pays about $20 per week from his dole, which is taxpayers money anyway, she gets $100's (which doctor bloke paid in to)
Really fair aint it.
Thank Christ for private arrangments.

sorry fella, it's not like this these days....they have made many changes over the last few years as in the past it wasn't a fair system at all.

**rustic101** · 21st March 2010, 16:15

One word 'Bollocks'.

To the best of my knowledge IRD do not take a percentage for collecting Child Support.

What they do do is take any penalties and keep that. I have been getting raped by IRD for at least 15 years and while I do not object to paying Child Support I do object to their penalties and the way in which the bastards do not give a fat rats arse about the paying parents circumstances..

O well two more years to go then I will be $760pf better off.

Hate is not a word I use lightly but I HATE IRD as much as I HATE ACC and Dr N. Smith