Financial situation after birth??

needinput

First off I apologize if this is the wrong section, feel free to move it if needs be.

My wife and I are having our first child. We are due for September and have been looking into child care etc. We are both currently working although she will be taking her maternity leave as you would expect. However when her leave is up she plans on going back to work. Her wages are far better than mine so financially it wouldn't make sense for her to stop working and for me to continue on. It makes far more sense for me to stop and allow her to go back to work.

Can anyone tell me where I would stand in terms of the social welfare system. I've been working pretty much solid with 12 years since I left college with only 6 months out of work a few years back.

The reason I ask this is if I were on full dole (this is the piece I have no clue on what I would actually be entitled to) and removing the costs of fuel traveling to work etc I would only be down about €70. If I stayed in work I know the cost of child care in my area would make us far worse off.

The job I'm in is not a skilled job and I wouldn't be losing any place in a progression ladder by stepping away from it.

If anyone has any information with regard to this situation or anywhere I can find out (tried looking on Citizens Information but I couldn't find anything for this situation) I'd really appreciate it.

liliq

You'd only be entitled to dole for 9 months if I remember correctly.
I think I googled dole rates to get to a page that actually gave me how much I'd get.
While your wife is on maternity leave you can claim a carers tax credit, and viva versa if she returns to work and you stay at home. It's worth around €860 a year.

Neyite

You probably would get little or no social welfare if one of you is earning a decent wage, as you would be means tested on your joint income. Furthermore, you wont get social welfare if you choose not to work. Job-seekers allowance and unemployment benefit is for people who are available in theory to work, and who are looking for work. If you are not available for work then you are not entitled to either of these payments.

bhamsteve

You may be eligible for Job Seekers Benefit (for 9 months I think) if you could convince them you are looking for work. They would want to know why you have quit your job, and may refuse to pay you for the first 9 weeks of unemployment. They may also be more likely to keep a close eye on your attempts to find work.
It would be a short term solution with risks attached. Would part time work or Family Income Supplement be an option?

needinput

Part time work would still require child care expenses and part time won't pay as well as full time.

Neither of us are on good wages but hers are better than mine.

The only welfare I've ever had was for those 6 months so I know nothing about the system as to what's available hence asking here.

What's the family income supplement?

Tombo2001

Why dont you go into the local dole office and ask......

Not trying to be smart, but any responses here are educated guesses at best.

bhamsteve

needinput wrote: »

Part time work would still require child care expenses and part time won't pay as well as full time.

Neither of us are on good wages but hers are better than mine.

The only welfare I've ever had was for those 6 months so I know nothing about the system as to what's available hence asking here.

What's the family income supplement?

It guarantees you a minimum income after deductions (tax, usc etc) based on your family size. €506 for 1 child, €602 for 2 children and so on.
info here
You could also transfer your tax credits to your wife which should increase her income.

needinput

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Why dont you go into the local dole office and ask......

Not trying to be smart, but any responses here are educated guesses at best.

They only open while I'm in work so I can't go in.

2xj3hplqgsbkym

Unless your wife is on a very low wage you wouldn't be entitled to anything- you weren't made redundant, your not looking for a job and your not a lone parent.

Moonbeam

I think fis (family income support) is your only option.
You could qualify for jsb based on your contributions but it is only meant for people looking for work adn not those that choose to be stay at home parents.

January

You could, in theory, be able to claim Job Seekers Benefit for 9 months but, since you'll be leaving a job voluntarily you will be exempt for the first 9 weeks of payment. Also, you would n actual fact, be defrauding the state because JSB and JSA are for people who are actually genuinely looking for work.

If you meet the thresholds you and your wife would be entitled to FIS.

pwurple

Social welfare-wise, I think you will be entitled to the same as any woman who gives up her job in order to look after her own children. Child benefit of 130 per month.

Your wife should also get your tax credits transferred to her, so will pay less tax on her income.

MurdyWurdy

pwurple wrote: »

Social welfare-wise, I think you will be entitled to the same as any woman who gives up her job in order to look after her own children. Child benefit of 140 per month.

Your wife should also get your tax credits transferred to her, so will pay less tax on her income.

It's 130 now since the last budget! And I think you're right. I'm at home and hubby works and that's all I'm entitled to. Don't think you can get the dole if your wife is working and you chose to stay at home to rear your child. would love if i could get the dole!

Hubby having my tax credits does help but not as much as I'd like.


As others have said you may be entitled to FIS. I just looked into this last week but am not eligible unfortunately. OP - could be worth looking into though!

hoodwinked

as a stay at home dad having been a stay at home mum

your incoming finances pretty much are:

Child benefit - €130pm
your Tax credits given to your wife - € variable
FIS - € income dependent
Other - odd jobs/once off jobs/work with child


BUT what you need to do is weigh up

if childcare > salary/wages then you are effectively bettering your income,

just be aware being a stay at home parent can be head wrecking for some, others prefer it, so make sure you are ok with it, before worrying about the financial side.

Sleepy

Don't under-value your wife having your tax credits, it's worth up to €3,720 a year if your wife earns more than €45,400 (€1,830 extra tax credit and an increase of standard rate cut-off point from €36,400 to €45,400).

Add that to the cost of childcare, your travel expenses etc. and you might well find you're better off not working than keeping the job (especially if there's more than one child). I wouldn't include the value of any "work from home" or evening/weekend work in your calculations unless you know for a certainty you can pick this work up: there's far more stay-at-home parents looking for this type of work than there are positions available at the moment!