Hello Dads, my ex and I separated a year ago. I am self employed and had a great year 2021/22, so paid my ex £1000pcm an (obvs) she didn't get CMS involved.
Fast forward a year and I filed my 2022/23 tax return last week and it is down 70%, so I wrote to my ex (3 days ago) to say that her child support will go down 70% too. I haven't heard back from her which means (I'm sure) she will now open a case with CMS.
We have a CAO so (I hope) my access should not be affected, although am already expecting to need enforcement at some point (and yes I know that often it's not worth the paper it's written on!)
SO; if she calls CMS. what happens next? Do they;
- contact me first and let me know a case has been opened? and if so, when should I expect this call / letter?
- or will they just go straight to HMRC and ask what my income is (even before they contact me to say I am now a CMS case)? My worry is that I only filed my taxes a week ago and will be assessed on the wrong year
- If the above, will the first time I hear from them be when they write to tell me what my payment will be? and how soon would that normally be
- when do they start looking into my bank accounts, etc? Is it as soon as my ex calls them, before they even contact me? After they write to me? Or only after she asks for a Mandatory reconsideration?
Am just trying to get a rough idea of the 'timeline' in a case being opened with CMS, so I can plan accordingly. Have google'd the s**t out of it and can't find this "beginner" info.
Thanks in advance for any advice given 🙂
Hi,
If she opens case with CMS, you can expect them to check HMRC records to see what your most recent/last tax year income is. They will perform a calculation and send you payment plan in writing. This could take them 2 weeks, maybe more.
They will not check bank accounts. That happens as last resort when paying parent refuses to pay or they investigate someone for hiding income.