It’s the legal responsibility of both parents to financially support their children during separation or divorce. Child support is the amount to be paid by you or your former partner. A binding child support agreement can be agreed between you, or it can be assessed by the Child Support Agency using a statutory formula.
The formula takes into account the income and circumstances of each parent, including who has primary care of the children - often called custody - and how much time the children spend with the other parent. While the Agency’s core goal is to ensure that support is paid in full and on time, it also prioritises shared parenting and conflict reduction.
You can use the Agency’s online calculator to help estimate how much child support is payable either to or by you.
We can advise you on an agreement you reach with your former partner; we can then create a formal document for filing with the Child Support Agency. We can also help you negotiate things like school fees or medical expenses that you’d like your agreement to cover.
As specialist child support lawyers, we can also help you navigate through challenges including:
- Payment default
- Changed circumstances
- Disputes over the reported income levels
- Support for a child over 18 who has a disability or is completing studies