Managing your Money

Writing my will.....help?

pancakequeen — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 16:16:47 +0000

Hi,

I have been divorced for nearly 3 years now and I still haven't done my will! So I have booked for someone to come round to the house and go through it with me. To prepare they have asked me to think about who I want the girls to go with if I die and they are still dependents. I assumed this would automatically be their dad as we have joint responsibilty, is that right? Also they have said they need his address but my ex won't tell me where he lives and has given me his friends address to use instead.

I can see this is going to be a big headache.

County Court Form Not Received at Northamts County Court

HELLY13 — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 06:10:10 +0000

Hi Ladies,

I received a County Court form as I am being chased for a debt. I returned them, along with expenditure form, for them to decide how much I can pay back each month. Now the Solicitors who are handling the debt, Thomas Higgins Partnership have sent a letter saying I have not responded and now going to lodge a CCJ, and sdend the bailiffs. Where do I stand as I sent the forms back by post! Shall I email the Solicitors?

Any help appreciated! :(

Maintenance

chasychew — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 08:47:35 +0000

My daughter is currently completing A Level studies & was 18 in January. Maintenance is paid through tribunal service (ex-husband taken to magistrates court last year as halved maintenance payments). I provided a letter from my daughter's school confirming she is in education and giving course end date as 31st August. Tribunal Service rung school & argued with school about date provided & asked for the date of last exam. Tribunal Service have advised maintenance will end on the 30th June.

The end of the CSA

Hopeful — Sun, 25 May 2014 13:54:01 +0000

On the news the other day I heard that the CSA as we know it will come to an end, another service will take over and....

.... if people (as in single parents) use this service they have to pay for it.

Really??? I will have to pay for my first husband being an idiot? I don't even know where he lives (the CSA do!)!!!

Does anyone have an idea how much they are going to charge us single parents for the priviledge of wanting absent / runaway exes to pay?

South East

benefits

pjs — Sat, 19 Apr 2014 14:46:24 +0000

Hi everyone, my son who is 21 has just quit his job, he was on the work programme and jsa before he took the job, he was on an 8 hour contract and most weeks that was all he was given and on minimum wage just wasn't enough to live on(he has to give me £30 a week cuz I can't run this house on my own, he hated the job and felt isolated cuz nobody spoke to him and he said it was very clicky I am wondering if he can claim has again but if not when ?

What does your Child Support pay for?

Anna — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 15:53:13 +0000

Are you specific with what you spend the Child Maintenance money on?

Or does it just go into the pot with everything else?

We would like to hear your way of doing things........

How do I stop my ex using my address to get credit?

pancakequeen — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 13:31:10 +0000

I have been claiming single parent child tax credits since my ex and I separated back in 2010.

CSA "Closure" and the new CMS (Child Maintenance Service).

Jeano — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 12:36:25 +0000

Hi,

I have had a few email enquiries from lone parents who are worried where they can go for help with child support now that the CSA has stopped taking on new cases!

Panic over!

The CSA will continue to deal with existing 1993 and 2003 Scheme cases.

The CMS will take on new cases.

If you want to know more or have a specific question please get in touch by clicking on Ask the CSA Expert .

Jean Smith

Can I afford having a baby?

Longing4baby — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 20:14:51 +0000

Hi,

I still haven't found Mr Right and my biological clock is ticking so I'm considering insemination.

Question is - can I afford it?

I'm on £46k a year so I don't think I have a bad salary, but I've heard that childcare in London costs over £1,000 per month, and I wouldn't be able to stay in my flatshare so accomodation costs would probably be another £1,000 per month at least which would only leave me with a few hundred pounds a month for everything else which I wouldn't think I could live on..

Any advice?

Winter Warmers

Louise — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 09:07:12 +0000

There is a really helpful article about keeping your home warmer with a few cheap adjustments, read it here

Also some information about getting help with insulation or a new boiler, especially if you are on certain benefits, read it here Please note it is only for those who own their home or rent from a private landord, not housing association.

Life Insurance

GoodEnoughMum — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 22:11:01 +0000

Hi everyone

Does anyone have any advice for me about life insurance? I don't currently have any or a will (I have no property or money). I know that if I die the boys' father will look after them but I'm wondering if I should have cover to supplement that?

Also, there's a slim possibility something could happen to us both. We don't spend much time together but we do live in the same town.

The other thing I have been thinking is whether I should get life insurance out on him? If he dies I will have £300 less per month to raise the kids on.

The "C" word..

Louise — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 16:42:21 +0000

Ok so at the risk of making you all go AAAAGH and pull the divets over your heads.

There are now less than 100 days to go until Christmas and I have a couple of things to highlight for you

The first is...if you are shopping online, there is a great comparison tool here to get the best deal

Job seekers allowance

Emmaharknett — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 09:09:15 +0000

My 18yr old son should be starting colleage in sept he currently is getting jsa but they are saying this will stop the course is a classed as a full time course but it's actually only 15hrs a week, i understand u can wrk 16hrs and still get jsa so why is it stopping for this and down to me to support him i have finacial problems of my own why should he be penilized for trying to better himself!!! Anybody got aany help plz

Should I withold contact till he has paid the Child Support arrears?

sarahb34 — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 07:42:10 +0000

I'm back here to ask for some more advice, or at least share with you my thoughts. Here goes: The Ex has now been paying next to nothing in Child Support for exactly a year by the end of this month. In that time, the children and I lost our family home and have been living with my parents for 10 months. I have managed to repay a total of nearly £10,000 in debts during this time as my parents took very little money in rent/utilities etc.

Single parent with son going to Uni

Kirsty ST1 — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 23:51:32 +0000

HI I'am new to Onespace. I'am a single parent with a 17 almost 18 year old son. Is there anybody out there who is a single parent who has a young adult/s living with them who are at University. My Son wants to go to Uni. How do you cope financially? Are you in work yourselves? I really need some advice on how it all works! I would appreciate your help.