Child Support

Child Support

It is important that your children are financially provided for after your separation. The options for resolving child support are:

• Child Support Assessment by the Department of Human Services
• Binding Child Support Agreement
• Court Proceedings to depart from a Child Support Assessment

Child Support Assessment

Child Support is assessed pursuant to the Child Support (Assessment Act) 1989. The formula for assessing child support takes into account the number and age of children, children’s time with each parent, each parent’s income and the average costs in Australia to raise a child.

Obtain a basic estimate child support in minutes using the Department of Human Services Child Support Estimator https://processing.csa.gov.au/estimator/About.aspx

Binding Child Support Agreement

A Binding Child Support Agreement may be an option where children are attending a private school, the family has enjoyed a high standard of living during the relationship, or where one or both parents continue to enjoy a significantly high income.

I can provide you with advice as to whether a Binding Child Support Agreement is an option for you. If so, I can negotiate the terms of the Agreement on your behalf and prepare the Agreement.

Court Proceedings – Departure Applications

The Family Law Courts can make orders to depart from a Child Support Assessment. There are two ways in which I can help you with a Departure Application. I can assist you to bring a Departure Application and I can assist you to defend a Departure Application.

A common ground for filing a departure application at Court is because one parent has a high earning capacity or high net individual worth. If you are a parent who has been served with an application to depart from a Child Support Assessment I can assist you to defend that application.

If Child Support has been assessed by the Department of Human Services and special circumstances exist an application to depart from a Child Support Assessment to try and increase the child support payable to you may be warranted. I can provide you with advice and act on your behalf to pursue a Departure Application.