• Child Support Agency
• Child Support Formula
• Estimating your income

Estimating your income

Lodging an income estimate with the Child Support Agency

Separated parents can ask for their child support assessment to be based on an estimate of their income if their current income is 15 per cent lower than the income used in the assessment.

When making an estimate the parent must identify what will be their adjusted taxable income for the financial year. If making an estimate on or before 1 July the parent must estimate what income (for all income components) they will receive for the year.

If making an estimate for part of the financial year the parent must estimate what income they will receive from the date they make the estimate until the end of the financial year. They must also advise their year to date income for the period from 1 July to the day before they made their estimate.

Estimates of income must now be made for one financial year (12 months). This provides parents who choose to estimate their income for Child Support purposes with an easier and more accurate way of estimating child support payments.

If your circumstances change after you have made an estimate you must advise the Child Support Agency of the change. You can make another estimate to reflect your changed circumstances. Income estimates will be automatically checked against the actual income as soon as the tax return is lodged.

Where your actual adjusted taxable income is equal to, or lower than, the estimated income, the estimate will be confirmed. If your adjusted taxable income is higher, your child support will be reassessed for the time the estimate is used based on your actual adjusted taxable income.