Hi Bella, this is one that frightened me a little when moving in with my partner.

I saw my solicitor, because I knew my partners ex was capable of anything and wanted to be sure my finances and assets were safe. I have my own successful business and property.

You do have to be careful, about how you structure things. Although I don't believe they can simply look at your finances without suspicion that your partner is hiding income. In your case it sounds so straight forward. I do think it's rather cheeky of CSA to want to poke their noses into your own personal finances. All I can think of is that the are looking for proof that you had no income between that period and that your partner was in fact supporting you.

I would have thought that the fact your partner was supporting you during that time he earnt the 12K extra, would have meant your CS should have dropped dropped. Sort of negates the extra income if you know what I mean. Hopefully they can see it that way also.

But then stranger things have happened where the CSA are concerned (I think they're a bit of a law unto themselves).

The capacity to earn thing is easy, one parent was at home at the time, so it is easy for your partner to go out and work the hours he needed to. That's not the case anymore so it is impossible for him to do without detriment to the family.

We're in the process of fighting the CSA at the moment. The ex works, has at least 3 boarders in the house at all times, pulls in money from CS, centrelink, her daughters income (15 year old has now left school and is working full time), etc but has declared none of it aside from CS and Centrelink payments.

We have 2 kids full time, and she has one (the one she has is also working fulltime), we pay the absolute maximum for the one she has as well as some to her for the two that live with us full time (go figure), because she gets access to them every second weekend. Oh, by the way, she pays not a dime towards the kids we have.

We're just counting down the years now.

I will encourage anyone who is the partner of a paying parent to join the group POPPS on Yahoo. These ladies deal with scheming, money grabbing exes all the time and know the laws and rights inside out. I believe POPPs has now moved somewhere else but you should be able to follow the links.

My guy's ex requested more money from him since we moved in together. He basically said no. It's none of her business what I earn - he pays her more than the assessment, on time every time. She refuses me any access to their child unless his father is with him, and then she wants more money because of me - what a cheek! Does she have no pride? Obviously not.

Bascially, unless the ex-husband's circumstances have changed, per the points listed by the CSA in 'change of circumstances' , then there is nothing the ex can do to get at the finances of the payer.

The golden rule is to not mix your finances. My guy and I have no joint accounts and no financial links at all - we manage our financial business independently of the banks, if you know what I mean.