FAQ: What should I/the other parent spend the child support money on?
Child support is transferred to benefit the children. It assists with providing all basic necessities for the children including housing, food, clothing and school fees. The child support provided by the other parent is to help you when the children are in your direct care.
If you are concerned about how your child support is spent by the other parent you have the option of arranging direct, third party or prescribed payments at any time.
Direct payments are payments such as cash, clothes, transfer of property rights, or providing a service such as lawn mowing or bookkeeping that can be credited as child support if both parents agree.
Prescribed payments are certain payments that can be credited as child support even if the parent receiving child support doesn’t agree, such as school uniforms, essential medical and dental items, or the other parent’s share of rent. However this can only occur if the paying parent has less than 14 per cent (regular) care.
To find out more or to arrange direct payments call the CSA on 131 272.
Updated: 23 Sep 2009
Categories: Parents
Sub-categories: Income