Handout 16
Information for separated parents
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'If you have recently ended your relationship and there are children from that relationship, you need to make arrangements for the financial support of your children.'
When parents separate they need to make arrangements for the financial support of their children. This fact sheet outlines a range of services and information products available through the Child Support Agency (CSA) to help separated parents manage their child support responsibilities.
Support for parents
Separation is a stressful time, however there are many services available to help you deal with the issues involved. These services include certain government benefits such as Family Tax Benefit and entitlements to housing.
CSA also provides a number of services to support parents:
- Mediation - mediation means using a third person, a mediator, to help both parents discuss and reach an agreement. It is about making important decisions for the future. Mediation can assist parents in sorting out decisions about parenting, property, finances and debt. Both parents will need to agree in order for them to try mediation.
Mediation is not counselling and it is not about helping separated people get back together. For more information, including mediation brochures and details of mediation service providers, check the Community Services Directory or call CSA on 131 272 (for the cost of a local call).
- CSA fact sheets - these publications cover many issues surrounding child support including What is Child Support, Agreements, Non-Agency Payments and Change in Income. Fact sheets are available on the CSA website.
- Community Services Directory - this is an information database that contains contact details and general information on community services across Australia. You can search the CSD online or call 131 272 to obtain information about service providers in your local area for:
- Counselling - for separation issues, grief, crisis;
- Mediation - assistance with coming to an agreement about child support, property;
- Legal - including property settlement issues;
- Financial;
- Parenting skills; and
- Welfare and emergency - emergency accommodation, food, clothing, welfare.
Arranging child support privately
Where possible CSA encourages parents to manage their child support responsibilities themselves. Private collection allows parents to decide on a flexible, private system of payment. While the amount of child support is sometimes set by CSA or by the courts, parents are encouraged to arrange payments in a way that suits them both.
Court Order
If parents separated before 1 October 1989 and all their children were born before that date, you must ask the Family Court to order how much child support is to be paid. You may apply to CSA to collect the child support until the child turns 18, once the court has made a decision on the amount of child support payable.
* Please note that the court may decide that child support is still payable after the child turns 18.
Child Support Assessment
If one of your children was born on or after 1 October 1989 or you separated after that date, you may apply for a child support assessment. CSA will use a formula based on the incomes of both parties to calculate the amount of child support payable.
If you are a payee and you receive a payment through the Family Assistance Office (FAO) at more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit, you must apply for an assessment from CSA. Contact the FAO on 136 150 for more information.
Child Support Agreement
If both parents agree, they may choose to register a child support agreement. A child support agreement can be used to set out different ways of working out how child support should be paid. For example, an agreement could be registered to recognise ongoing payments to third parties (mortgage payments, school fees).
An agreement may replace the need for you to contact CSA each time you make a payment to the payee or a third party. This would apply for the period that the agreement is registered.
If you need further information on agreements check out the Agreements fact sheet.
Payment Options
Parents have 3 options to consider for the collection of child support:
1. Self Administration
If you are a parent receiving only the base rate of Family Tax Benefit, or you do not receive a benefit, you do not have to apply for a child support assessment. You can make a private arrangement to support your children. CSA will not be directly involved but will help you calculate the child support payable.
2. Private Collection
If the payee receives more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit, they will be required to apply for a child support assessment. Contact the FAO on 136 150 for more information. Parents may choose to have an administrative assessment issued by CSA but collect the amount privately. Where these private arrangements are not successful, CSA will act as a safety net and recommence collection.
3. CSA Collect
The payee may make an application for child support and ask that CSA collect the amount payable. CSA Collect payments should be made directly to CSA - not directly to the payee.
Definitions
Payee - person who is eligible to receive child support.
Payer - parent who is liable to pay child support.
Family Tax Benefit - a benefit to help parents with the cost of raising children.
Family Assistance Office - a government agency which provides services for families and sole parents.