Child Support Agency

[NutSoft]

Has anyone any experience/advice of dealing with the Child Support Agency (CSA)?

When I set up my limited company with my wife, one of the "attractions" was that I could pay myself a modest salary and therefore minimise my exposure to my money-grabbing ex-wife by way of a reduced CSA assessment. Perhaps I was a bit naive in thinking that only my salary would be included in the assessment; I have since read that dividends are also included in the assessment - though I would of thought this was hard to do considering that you generally can't guarantee how profitable your limited company will be?

Whilst I have no intention of depriving my children by my former wife of reasonable financial support, what I do object to is being persecuted by the CSA. Whilst I was in permanent employment I was over-charged by the CSA by almost £3,000 in one year! The money was repaid, but that was only after I had demonstrated to the CSA that the payments I had made had exceeded my assessment, and even then the payment had to come from the Secretary of State. I would say that not a single month had passed by without me phoning or writing to the CSA, in order to get my assessment corrected.

Any advice or guidance would obviously be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance, Des

[mailmannz]

I have dealt with the same agency in NZ...terrible people to have to work through who only see you as being guilty and nothing more.

Mailman

[rebeccaloos]

Is the CSA computer system linked to the IR? f not, why don't you "forget" to declare your dividends

I am saying this because the word on the street is that the CSA computer system is an absolute shambles (don't know who did it... was it EDS?) and won't be able to reconcile anything....

[SupremeSpod]

Any Advice...?

try learning English

though I would of thought this was hard to do considering that you generally can't guarantee how profitable your limited company will be?

I would have thought