The judge hearing a case in London's High Court has rejected the claim from the former spouse of a millionaire businessman for £150,000 in child maintenance. Parents in the Greater Manchester area may be aware that child maintenance is intended to help meet the costs of the day-to-day living expenses of the children. In this instance, the children's mother included the expense of hiring after school private tutors at a cost of £60,000 each year.
The judge awarded £70,000 in child support and noted that the children's mother was an advocate of the hothousing method of education. The extra financial support for after school private tutors that the mother was asking for would provide an intense regime of study to advance the children's education beyond the norm for their age. When making her ruling, the judge observed that, with their current study schedule, the couple's two teenagers were allowed very little time to enjoy their childhood and that the private tutors were not something that they needed.
The children's father had protested at the extent of the expenses his ex-wife was claiming. He did not agree with hothousing their children and said that while he was currently paying for their children to attend private schools, he was only willing to pay for the private tuition that the school recommended. The judge said that his former wife would be receiving a divorce settlement numbering in the millions and that if she wished, she would have the option of paying for further tuition herself.
Family court has the obligation to view the best interests of the children when deciding on the terms of a divorce settlement. A solicitor familiar with the factors involved in this decision making process may be able to provide constructive legal advice for someone involved in a high net worth divorce.
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