Child Maintenance - An Update for Family Lawyers

Introduction

The Child Maintenance Service is the government service to manage child maintenance if a private agreement cannot be reached or has been breached. All new applications are made with the CMS albeit the Child Support Agency continues to have some jurisdiction over older (pre-2012) assessments. Given a parent can make an application to the Child Maintenance Service, even if a court order has been granted (after 12 months), it is important for family lawyers to understand the considerations when drafting an order (Child Arrangements or Consent) to mitigate child maintenance liabilities where possible, i.e. 50/50 Equal Shared Care as opposed Shared Care Band Equal.

This webinar will also consider alternative methods of financial support, particularly where there is capital in the hands of the payer as such capital can no longer be used to enhance the child maintenance assessment by way of variation.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• The differences between Shared Care Band Equal and 50/50 Equal Shared Care
• Considerations when drafting an Equal Shared Care Child Arrangements or Consent Order
• Private agreements and the pitfalls
• What can be agreed with regard to child maintenance arrears

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Thursday 6th March 2025

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 1,700+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email [email protected] for more details.