1 |
Help for CSA July 2008 Projected Rate Estimator Service |
| 1.1 | More than one child support case |
| 1.2 | How many children is this estimate for? |
| 1.3 | How many other dependent children do you have? |
| 1.4 | What is the name of the other parent of the children the estimate is for? |
| 1.5 | How many other dependent children does the other parent have? |
| 1.6 | How many nights is the child in your care? |
| 1.7 | Taxable income - child support |
| 1.8 | Reportable Fringe Benefits - for child support and Family Assistance |
| 1.9 | Net rental property losses - for child support and Family Assistance |
| 1.10 | Tax Free Pensions and Benefits - for child support and Family Assistance |
| 1.11 | Foreign income - for child support and Family Assistance |
The Child Support Estimator does not cover every person's situation.
The Child Support Estimator will not work if:
This is the number of your children (natural or adopted) from your previous relationship with the other parent, for whom this child support estimate is being completed.
We call these children your child support children.
Only enter the details for each child once.
This is the number of other children (natural or adopted) you have in your care from another relationship — not your child support children.
An estimate of child support takes into account all children of both parents.
The new child support formula is based on the costs of children, and these costs are dependant on the age and care arrangements of the children. Any estimate of child support needs to include the age and care arrangements of all children.
Important notes
Only enter the details for each child once.
If you don't know about the other parent's other dependent children, your estimate will not be accurate.
A child is a relevant dependent child if you have at least shared care (between 128 and 237 nights a year) of the child and:
If you have children (either natural or adopted) from a second or subsequent family that live with you, an amount for their support will be deducted from your income when calculating your child support.
This amount—called the relevant dependent amount—is based on the cost of the children in your second or subsequent family, using the same cost of children table used for child support. So, all children will be treated similarly.
*Step-child
Include your step-children here only if you are the child’s step-parent and have a court order saying you must financially support your step-child.
A child is your step-child if:
Where a parent has a second family that includes step-children, the responsibility of financially supporting the step-child may rest with that parent if neither of the child's biological parents can pay for the costs of their child due to illness, death, or incapacity to earn income.
Under the new Scheme, in special circumstances, parents with child support children who also care for a step-child can apply for a change of assessment to have their child support payments reviewed. It doesn't matter whether the step-parent pays or receives child support, as long as they need to support the step-child with their income.
To have this care recognised, the parent must be able to demonstrate:
The other parent is the person who is the natural or adoptive mother or father of the child or children for whom this child support estimate is being completed (the child support children).
Note
The other parent is not your current partner.
Any children, either natural or adopted, the other parent has in their care from another relationship — not the child support children.
An estimate of Child Support takes into account all children of both parents.
The new child support formula is based on the costs of children, and these costs are dependant on the age and the care arrangements of the children. Any estimate of child support needs to include the age and care arrangements of all children, including the other parent’s children from other relationships.
Important notes
Only enter the details for each child once.
If you don't know about the other parent's other dependent children, your estimate will not be accurate.
An estimate of Child Support takes into account the number of nights care each parent has of each child.
Child support payments calculated under the new formula will reflect each parent's level of care and how much it costs parents to care for their children.
The Child Support Agency (CSA) uses your last relevant year of taxable income to work out a child support assessment. This is the income shown on your most recent tax return.
For example, for a child support assessment starting on 30 October 2007, CSA will use your 2006-2007 taxable income.
If your current taxable income is not available and you have not provided an income, CSA may use a default income.
The income used for child support purposes includes:
Plus the following components:
Other parent's Taxable Income
The other parent's income may be on your previous child support assessment notice. This may help you estimate the other parent’s income.
Important note
If you don't know the other parent's income, you cannot use the online estimator.
The estimate will be based on the information you provide. If any information is incorrect, the estimate will also be incorrect.
This is the value of gross reportable fringe benefits total for the income year, which is reported on your payment summary. Or ask your employer to tell you the expected amount for the year.
A fringe benefit is a benefit provided to you because of your employment.
You need to include fringe benefits (or employer provided benefits) you or your current partner gets from your employment such as:
A net rental property loss is where you have a rental property and the costs outweigh the income. We add any loss back on to your taxable income for child support and family assistance purposes.
This amount is the total loss incurred on a rental property that you expect to declare on your personal income tax return for the appropriate financial year. Do not include any loss from property that is part of a partnership (as recognised by the Australian Taxation Office), trust or company.
You need to include any income you get from the following payments from Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs which are non-taxable
Centrelink
Disability Support Pension paid to a person who is not old enough to get the Age Pension.
Carer payment where both the carer and the person being cared for are not old enough to get Age Pension.
Wife Pension paid where both the person (and current partner if applicable) are not old enough to get Age Pension.
Department of Veterans' Affairs:
Invalidity service pension where the recipient is not old enough to get Age Pension.
Disability Pension, War Widow's and War Widower's Pension.
Partner Service Pension where both partners are under Age Pension age and the veteran gets an Invalidity Service Pension, or the veteran has died and was getting an Invalidity Service Pension at the time of death.
Do not include the following payments:
Bereavement Payment, Pharmaceutical Allowance, Carer Allowance, Rent Assistance, Remote Area Allowance, Family Tax Benefit Part A, Family Tax Benefit Part B, Child Care Benefit, Maternity Payment and Maternity Immunisation Allowance.
You need to include income you and your current partner earn, derive or receive from a source outside Australia on which you do not pay Australian tax. Where a conversion to Australian dollars is needed, the exchange rate as at the relevant financial year needs to be used. In addition you need to include foreign income earned while working on an approved project overseas or in foreign service paid from Australia (as per section 23AF & 23AG of the Income Tax Assessment Act). An example of this is the work done by Australians in the Solomon Islands.