Maintenance: children & spouse

Maintenance is the payment of regular financial support to a spouse or previous spouse in respect of the living expenses either of the spouse/ex-spouse and/or the dependent children of the union.

Spousal maintenance is generally payable where there is a spouse/ex-spouse who does not have the financial resources to support themselves adequately. In many cases the spouse will not be working outside the home or may only be capable of working on a part-time basis.

Child support or child maintenance is for the financial support of the children and is payable to the spouse who is looking after the children on a day-to-day basis.

The maintenance figure payable will depend on the needs of the children and/or the non-earning spouse and the ability of each parent or spouse to pay for those needs.

A dependent child is one who is:
a) under the age of eighteen years
or
b) between the ages of eighteen and twenty-three years and in full-time education.