Child Support

Child Support

Our passionate team of solicitors and Accredited Family Law Specialists are focused on finding the right solution when dealing with child support matters.

Child Support under the Child Support Agency

Under the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989, every parent has a primary duty to maintain their child or children. Child support is assessed and collected by the Child Support Agency (CSA), which is part of the Australian Government Department of Human Services. Child Support payments are assessed using a formula considering amongst other factors the respective parents income and the time that the children spend with each parent. You can go onto the Department of Health and Human Services website for more information and use the Child Support calculator to get an estimate of child support payments.

It is possible for either party to apply to depart from the child support assessment in special circumstances. For example, the parent liable to pay child support may encounter substantial or unusual expense in spending time with the child because they live a considerable distance away from the other parent or because the child has special needs or because of disputes in the true nature of income of the other parent. If the child attends private school and one parent is paying private school fees, this may also be a ground for a departure from the child support assessment. Parents will generally need to go through a Departure Application with the Child Support Agency to change a Child Support Assessment. In some cases, an application may be made directly to court.

Child Support Agreements

Parents are not obliged to use the CSA and are entitled to reach their own arrangements regarding child support.  If the parties want the arrangements to be formalised then they can enter into either a Binding Child Support Agreement or Limited Child Support Agreement. These are especially relevant if parents want to formalise non- periodic payments like school fees or health insurance payments which are not usually covered by a periodic child support assessment.

Binding Child Support Agreements can only be entered into where both parents are represented by solicitors who will need to give advice about the Agreement and sign a certificate certifying that they have given advice on the advantages or disadvantages of entering into the Agreement. It is difficult to discharge a Binding Child Support Agreement once you have entered it which is why you need to get legal advice.

The other type of child support agreement is a Limited Child Support Agreement, where a child support assessment will be issued. These Limited Child Support Agreements operate only for three years, after which the parties can renegotiate another agreement if they wish and can be discharged if the notional Child Support Assessment changes by more than 15% from the previous year.

For more information on Child Support, please view our Family Law Guide, an online resource created to help you learn about family law related issues.

Where to from here?

Contact us to discuss how we can assist you with your family law matter.

Book an Initial Consultation – We sit down with you for 90 minutes to gain a thorough understanding of your needs and your matter.

Attend a Free Family Law Seminar Held in the Melbourne CBD, this is your chance to build your legal knowledge, get an understanding of the court process and ask questions to our lawyers before making any decisions.

Get Started Online – Ready to make a start? Answer a few questions and get a free personalised information pack tailored to your family law issue. We can also assemble your relationship history, which will help us reduce costs if you book in for an appointment.

Why choose Carew Counsel Solicitors?


1

Our team of family lawyers can guide you with sensitivity and compassion through an emotional and challenging time.

2

We have decades of experience in the area of child support – advocating for our clients to achieve the outcomes they desire.

3

We empower you, by helping you understand the system, the options and the advantages and disadvantages of different options.

4

We have experience working with a range of experts in family law, meaning that when you need outside assistance, such as valuations or accountancy advice, we can engage professionals who best suit your individual circumstances.

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At Carew Counsel we understand that selecting the right legal representation is an important decision.

Contact us today and discover how we can assist with your circumstances.