Change of assessment: Reason 1

The costs of maintaining the children are significantly affected because it costs the applicant more than five per cent of their child support income amount to have contact with the children. Contact costs usually include transport, accommodation and telephone costs. The applicant can not claim for clothing or entertainment.

Both you and the paying parent may apply under this reason

Things I should know

• Contact costs are considered high only if they exceed five per cent of the applicant's child support income amount. This amount is the sum of a parent's taxable income and any supplementary amounts for the last relevant year of income.
• The applicant must have paid these amounts, owe money for them or reasonably expect to have to pay them in the period for which they are seeking a change to the assessment.
• The expenses must be reasonable, e.g. family type accommodation compared to luxury hotel.
• Court orders/agreements about contact costs will be considered when deciding whether it is just and equitable to change the assessment.
• If both parents share in the contact costs, costs borne by the other parent will not count, however they will be considered when deciding whether it is just and equitable to change the decision.

Supporting information/documents

• Proof of expenditure, e.g. receipts showing expenditure on airline tickets, petrol, or accommodation.
• Court orders or agreements with contact arrangements.
• Estimate of future travel costs.

When could I apply under this reason?

Example

You and the other parent have an arrangement for contact where you have agreed to pay for the cost of travel by train for the children to visit you. Circumstances have changed and now you are unable to meet the train. As a result you are driving the children to and from your home. This is costing you $50 a week in fuel. Your child support income amount is $15,000 (five per cent of this is $750). In the child support period the travel, which is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, will cost $1,300.

When could the other parent apply under this reason?

Example

It costs the paying parent $2,000 to have contact with the children and their child support income is $25,000. They can apply under this reason because it costs them more than $1,250 (five per cent of $25,000) to maintain contact.

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