Need child support assessment and calculation?
Child support in Australia, managed by the Department of Social Services and Services Australia, ensures that children receive financial support from separated parents based on a formula considering both parents’ combined income and contributions.
Factors for Support calculations
Support calculations use a formula based on combined parental income, financial contributions, and the cost of raising children. Costs vary by child age
Enforcing payments
Services Australia enforces payments through various measures, including salary deductions, litigation, and international arrangements for overseas support.
Filing for Appeals
Parents can appeal decisions through Services Australia or the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)
What is a ‘child support?’
Department of Social Services (DSS) defines child support as a scheme to ensure that child/ren get enough financial support from separated parents. Child support legislation is being administrated by DDS to improve the policy and ensure an effective scheme delivery.
Application for child support assessments is done through the assistance of Services Australia to parents, as well as the transfer and collection of child support payments.
How is child support calculated?
The assessment for calculation is grounded by an income share approach and based on research associated with the cost of raising children in Australia.
Formula:
- combined income of parents
- both of parents’ financial contributions through care
- cost of raising children according to the income of both parents
- treating the same self-support amount from both parents’ incomes
An objection process can take place when a parent disagrees against a decision made. An internal review of the objection can be done through lodging it to Services Australia.
Furthermore, if either parent does not concur with the objection decision, then they can make an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) to gain an independent decision review. The decisions made by AAT can only be appealed to a court on the basis of an error of law.
For accurate child support calculations, understand that payments are based on a formula considering both parents’ income, financial contributions, and the cost of raising children.
If you disagree with a child support decision, you can appeal through Services Australia or the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for a review.
How is the payment being monitored?
A range of powers can be done by Services Australia to put into force the child support payment where payments are not made voluntarily by the parent/s. These include:
- deducting the child support from salary or wage
- litigation proceedings to reclaim child support debt in any court under family law jurisdiction
- collection of intercepting tax refunds
- prohibiting a person from leaving Australia without paying the the necessary payment arrangements
- deducting the payment from government payments such as social security
What is the cost of my children?
The costs of children varies according to the age brackets and number of children. The table differentiates between the costs of children under the age of 13, and those with over the age of 13, and those of mixed age.
Cost of children can be accessed through here.
International Maintenance
Children may still be entitled with the payment support either they or the parents are overseas. Australia has a cooperative arrangement with its fellow Commonwealth as well as European dominion known as ‘reciprocating jurisdictions’ to ensure international arrangements for the child support payment.
Parents can be assisted by Services Australia regarding international child support matters and also assist with the following:
- Assessment application for Australian child support
- Obtaining an Australian court order to require the other parent for the payment
- maintenance order registration, assessment and/or agreement from another country for collection in Australia
