It is your gross, before-tax income rather than net income. You'll have a smaller amount of income left to spend after paying income and other taxes. Typically, the formula uses the taxable income reported in your most recent tax return.
We work out each parent's income percentage by dividing each income by the combined total. We calculate each parent's percentage of care. We work out each parent's cost percentage using the Care and Cost table. We subtract the cost percentage from the income percentage for each parent.
How much you pay. The fixed rate for child support periods starting on or after 1 January 2023 is $1,632 per child per year. If you pay the fixed rate for more than 3 children, we'll cap the amount at 3 times the fixed rate.
2. What is the maximum child support in Australia? You can calculate the maximum child support amount using the combined income of both parents, up to 2.5 times the annual equivalent of the Male Total Average Weekly Earnings, as well as the Costs of Children Table.
On the basic rate, if you're paying for: one child, you'll pay 12% of your gross weekly income. two children, you'll pay 16% of your gross weekly income. three or more children, you'll pay 19% of your gross weekly income.
In Australia shared custody means that the non-residential parent pays child support to the residential parent. In the case of a 50/50 split, the higher earner usually pays child support to the lower earner to ensure the children's standard of living is the same in both locations.
A parent may not withhold payment of maintenance if he or she is not allowed by the other parent to exercise his/her right of access to a child. The flip side of the coin is that a parent may not refuse the other parent access to a child when the latter does not contribute towards the maintenance of that child.
Do you pay less child support if you have another child? Yes. Your assessment is based on the number of dependent children that you have. If you have a child with a new partner, then that new child is considered a dependent.
If you have shared care for at least 52 nights a year, you don't need to pay any child maintenance.
Obviously you have to get specific legal advice but he will still need to pay child maintenance even if 50/50 care. There's a calculator on the Child Maintenance Service website where you can enter the number of days the higher earner has the children and their income and it will tell you the amount of CM due.
If you agree with the amount but can't afford to pay, try to agree a repayment plan with the other parent. You can check how much you could afford to pay. If you arranged maintenance directly with the other parent and can't agree a repayment plan with them, they could ask the CMS to collect maintenance instead.
We can collect overdue payments going back: up to 3 months in normal circumstances. up to 9 months in exceptional circumstances.
Normally child support stops when your child turns 18. If your child's in secondary study, you can apply to extend it to the end of the school year.
For the 2021-22 financial year, it's a payment of up to $788.40 for each eligible child. For the 2022-23 financial year, it's a payment of up to $817.60 for each eligible child.
2. It's unfair to hard-working parents. Australia's child support formula is generally unfair to parents who earn a good income. Every dollar that's given to one parent because they have a lower income is a dollar taken from the main financial contributor.
Child maintenance remains payable whether or not your ex is living with a new partner. The obligation to pay child maintenance continues regardless of your ex's circumstances.
Centrelink may also require parents to apply for an assessment of child support payable by the other parent. A person who starts a de facto relationship with a person who already has children does not have a legal obligation to support those children except in special circumstances.
Your maintenance case is largely dependent on you proving that your child needs the requested amount. If you do not have proof, or cannot prove it, even if you show that the father can afford it, the court won't order him to pay it. The court would only order him to pay what is fair and proved.
A reduction in child maintenance payments usually comes about due to a change of circumstances, such as a job loss. In instances such as this, it is essential to get in touch with the CMS, inform them of your change of circumstances and discuss how to reduce child maintenance payments to reflect these changes.
If you're found to be the parent, the amount of child maintenance you have to pay will be back-dated to when the case was opened.
Controlling Who Is Around Your Child
In general, you do not have the power to dictate which adults are around your child when they are with the other parent. When you have your child, you can decide who is present. You can decide whether to introduce them to a romantic partner or not.
What Does Child Support Not Cover in Australia? The child support amount in Australia is usually insufficient to fund costs such as extracurricular activities, private tuition fees, private health insurance and additional costs due to a child's special needs.
50/50 schedules can benefit a child because the child spends substantial time living with both parents. This allows him or her to build a close relationship with both parents, and to feel cared for by both parents. 50/50 schedules work best when: The parents live fairly close to each other, so exchanges are easier.
In Australia, parents are not imprisoned for failing to pay child support.