Do your children spend most of their time in your care? If so, it’s likely that you may be entitled to receive child support payments. The amount of child support that may be payable to you varies in accordance with your individual circumstances and is determined by the Child Support Agency.
Income of each of the parties, costs associated with care of the children and the percentage of time that the child spends with you are all contributing factors in determining the amount of child support you will receive.
How can I work out what child support I’m entitled to?
If you’re curious as to how much child support you may be entitled to, you may decide to use the online child support calculator provided by the Child Support Agency. This online calculator can assist you in making estimations regarding both your child support and family assistance payments. We do however note that the figures provided by this calculator are purely an estimation, due to the complex nature of each individual matter, it must be tailored to your own circumstances.
You might also benefit from reading the Parent’s Guide to Child Support.
Can I overturn a decision made by the Child Support Agency if it’s not fair?
If you believe the Child Support Agency has made a decision that is not fair you have the right to object, as long as this is done within 28 days of the decision being made. An internal review of the decision will then take place within 60 days of your objection being filed.
You can also continue to appeal if the original decision was upheld by applying for a review through the Social Security Appeals Tribunal.
What if my ex-partner doesn’t pay?
If payments are not being received, the Child Support Agency has the power to investigate and enforce payment. This includes the ability to collect payment from employers, the tax office and social security. The Child Support Agency may also stop people from leaving Australia while they have outstanding child support payments to be made if they deem necessary.
We can help
We understand how difficult and sensitive it can be to negotiate child support issues alone, which is why we are available to assist you in navigating through the process and legislation while reducing your need to stress.