CHILD SUPPORT - THE IMPORTANT FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
If you and your partner separated on or after 1 October 1989 or any of your children were born after this date, then the law relating to child support is governed solely by the Child Support Act.-
The Child Support Act provides a mathematical formula for the automatic calculation and assessment of your child support liabilities.
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Upon separation, no child support assessment is automatically made and the parent with whom the children reside after separation, must lodge an Application for Child Support with the Child Support Agency.
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It is important to remember that the assessment and determination of Child Support is an internal government procedure and it is not handled through the Family Court system.
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After the initial Application has been lodged with the Child Support Agency, an Assessment Notice will usually issue several weeks later. This Notice will tell you how much you are to receive/pay each month and about your rights relating to the payment/receipt of Child Support.
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In most cases the Child Support Act provides that the child support payments will be deducted straight from the wages (similar to a tax deduction) of the person liable to pay. The payments will then go through the Child Support Agency and be passed onto the parent entitled to receive payment.
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The Child Support Act is an extremely complex and difficult piece of legislation and we are able to advise you specifically on issues that may effect you. The amount of child support is basically determined by using a formula and a set of tables based on published research and statistics relating to the care of children. The formula looks also at the income of both parents, number of children involved and the number of nights per year the children spend with the non-resident parent.
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More information on Child Support can be found on the Child Support Agency website ( www.csa.gov.au ). A useful calculator on that site allows you to calculate how much child support you'll receive or be liable for.
Last updated 15 Feb 2008
Mr Hartley
Thank you for your patience and perseverance and for the excellent, prompt and efficient service you afforded me in my time of need.
It’s nice to know so many thoughtful people. Thanks for all you’ve done.
Yours sincerely
Cathy
