2.8.3: Assessment notices

Context

When CSA makes an assessment it must immediately give notice in writing to each parent.

Legislative references

Section 69 and 76 Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989

Regulation 8 Child Support (Assessment) Regulations 1989

Explanation

The following information must be included in the notice of assessment (section 76):

• the annual and daily rates of child support payable.
• the child support percentage applied (See chapter 2.4),
• the names and dates of birth of the children in the care of the carer entitled to child support who are taken into account to establish the child support percentage and, if any of the children are shared care children, the names of those children;
• the liable parent's child support income amount (See chapter 2.4),
• the number of relevant dependent children (See chapter 2.4) of the liable parent in each of the following age groups:
  • younger than 13;
  • 13 or older, but younger than 16;
  • 16 or older, but younger than 18.
• the child support income amount of the carer entitled to child support if the carer is a parent (See chapter 2.4),
• if a child is in the shared care of both parents and only one of the parents is a liable parent of the child, the child support income amount of the parent who is not a liable parent of the child and the number of relevant dependent children of that parent in each of the following age groups:
  • younger than 13;
  • 13 or older, but younger than 16;
  • 16 or older, but younger than 18.
• if both parents of a child are liable parents:
  • the annual rate of child support that would be payable by the other liable parent concerned if section 52 (the cap on the combined liabilities of 2 liable parents (See chapter 2.4) did not apply, and
  • the other liable parent's child support income amount; and
  • the number of relevant dependent children of the other liable parent in each of the age groups specified in subsection 2A;
• if 2 or more carers are entitled to child support from a liable parent, the number of children for whom that parent is liable,
• whether the carer entitled to child support was in receipt of an income tested pension, allowance or benefit when the assessment was made,
• any other matters that are prescribed by regulation. (No other matters have been prescribed.)

However, if the assessment is altered by a court order or child support agreement, CSA is not required to provide this information in the assessment notice.

The notice must also include information about the parents' rights to (section 76(3)):

• object to the particulars of the assessment,
• appeal against the assessment if dissatisfied with the objection decision,
• apply for a change of assessment,
• apply to a court for a departure order (subject to section 115),
• apply to a court for non-periodic child maintenance (e.g. a lump sum order), and
• apply to have the child support assessed not reduced by more than 25% under section 128. (See chapter 4.3)

Annual and daily rates

When CSA assesses the annual rate of child support payable by a liable parent, the assessment notice must state the liability as both an annual rate and a daily rate (section 69).

CSA converts the annual rate of child support to a daily rate by dividing the annual rate by 365.25 (regulation 8). The calculation is rounded to 5 decimal places.

Example

Version 1.3

Issued 23 January 2008

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