Child support
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The Child Support Agency
The Child Support Agency (CSA) is responsible for administering Australia's Child Support Scheme and supporting separated parents to transfer payments for the benefit of their children.
The CSA provides support and assistance to both parents, including calculating, collecting and transferring child support. The CSA works within the wider Australian family law system to provide products, services and referrals to help parents with all aspects of separation.
Child support choices
The CSA can assess child support in a number of ways that works for both parents and their situation. The CSA can assess child support by:
Many parents choose to arrange child support independently without any assistance from the CSA, the courts or other government agencies. Parents who choose this option make all the arrangements. Both parents decide how much child support should be paid and how it should be paid. Even though the CSA may not be involved in these arrangements, the CSA can provide information and help if you need it.
Private collect is another child support option. The CSA tells you how much child support needs to be paid, then both parents transfer payments between themselves.
More information, booklets, calculators, worksheets and self-help tools are available at the Child Support Agency website.
Eligibility for child support
Either or both parents can apply for child support, but you must be separated and your child or children must be under 18 years of age. You must also provide at least 35% care to receive child support. You do not have to be divorced to apply for child support.
Separated parents who have children from a same-sex relationship are also eligible to apply for child support.
If you are a non-parent carer such as a legal guardian, grandparent or another family member, you can apply for a child support assessment if you:
- care for a child 128 nights or more a year (at least 35% of care or more),
- are not the child’s natural or adopted parent, and
- are not in a domestic relationship with either of the child’s parents
Once you understand your child support options, you can contact the CSA to apply for a child support assessment.
More information on the Child Support Agency website
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Child support and Family Tax Benefit
Child support payments and family assistance payments are closely linked. The more child support you receive, the less Family Tax Benefit Part A you may receive. Similarly, if you receive less child support you may be entitled to more Family Tax Benefit Part A. This is important to know, even if you arrange your child support privately with the other parent or have a child support agreement.
You have up to 13 weeks to work out parenting arrangements and apply for child support after you separate. This gives parents time to get information, receive counselling or agree on post-separation arrangements, including negotiating a parenting plan. Working out your child support during this 13-week period will help you avoid a reduction in your Family Tax Benefit Part A payments.
If you have children from a previous relationship, you need to take reasonable steps to obtain child support from the child’s other parent. If you have not applied for child support for a child from a previous relationship, or sought an exemption from seeking child support, you may not receive more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A for that child. This requirement is called the Maintenance Action Test.
You can use the Online rate estimator to find out what family assistance or child support you may receive.
Note: The estimator is a guide only and will not estimate payments for all circumstances.
More information on the Child Support Agency website
Alignment of Care
Centrelink and the Child Support Agency (CSA) now use the same rules to work out the percentage of care you provide your child or children.
Why Centrelink and CSA are aligning care
By aligning the rules for determining care percentages, parents will only have to tell 1 agency about a change in care - not both.
What you need to do
If you receive Family Tax Benefit and pay or receive child support, you will only need to have your percentage of care assessed once by either Centrelink or the CSA. The other agency will then be notified of any changes in your percentage of care and will update your details automatically.
You can also apply to have your percentage of care worked out under the new rules, even if the care arrangements have not changed.
You can talk to us or the CSA about your care arrangements. If you have other questions about your child support payments or family assistance you will need to talk to the relevant agency.
Changes to your percentage of care could affect your eligibility or rate of payment for other entitlements. If you're receiving a payment such as Parenting Payment or Newstart you must also tell us about changes in your circumstances.
Example
Sam and Sandy
Sam calls Centrelink to say that there is a change to the care of his son Eric. Eric now stays with Sandy for 56 nights in a year. Centrelink confirms the new care arrangement with both Sam and Sandy and reassesses Sam's Family Tax Benefit. The new care percentage is sent to the Child Support Agency and applied to the child support assessment.
More information about the alignment of care
For more information about these changes, you can call 13 6150 or speak to your local Centrelink Customer Service Centre or Medicare office. To speak to Centrelink in a language other than English call 13 1202.
You can also visit the Child Support Agency website or call 13 1272. If you don't speak English, call the Translating Interpreting Service on 13 1450 between 8:30 am and 4:45 pm (local time) Monday to Friday.
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How to apply for child support
You can apply for child support by:
- completing an application for child support or lodging your child support agreement online at CSAonline, or
- visiting a Child Support Agency office or Regional Service Centre near you.
You may have reasons for not claiming child support. You can discuss these privately with a Centrelink social worker who can discuss your options.
More information on the Child Support Agency website
If you leave Australia
If one parent lives or is intending to move overseas, the CSA may still be able to collect and transfer child support payments for the benefit of your child or children.
More information on the Child Support Agency website
Change of circumstances
You need to tell the Child Support Agency and the Family Assistance Office when your circumstances change in case it affects the amount of child support you pay or receive or your Family Tax Benefit Part A.
For example, you need to tell us if:
- a child leaves your care
- you re-partner
- your income changes.
More information
On the Child Support Agency website
On the Family Assistance Office website
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Other assistance
If you are receiving child support, you may be able to use a number of Australian Government services and programs, such as:
- Centrelink social workers
- Financial Information Service
- Personal/family counselling
- Services and programs for parents and guardians
- Services and programs when looking for work
More information on the Attorney-General's Department website
More information
- Family assistance and child support page
- Parent or guardian section
- Child Support Agency website
- Family Assistance Office website
- My family is separating - what now? website
Publications
On the Child Support Agency website
Contacts
Child Support Agency
- call the Child Support Agency on 13 1272
- visit a CSA office or Regional Service Centre
Family Assistance Office
- call the Family Assistance Office on 13 6150
- find your nearest Family Assistance Office at Centrelink
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