Child support.... are you paying too much?

When it comes to child support, it’s important to make sure the amount you pay is right for you, and achievable in your circumstances.

Often, payers and payees are not aware of their rights to change the amount of child support paid.

Some common scenarios where child support can be reduced (without the need for a formal change of assessment process) include:-

• If, in the three years after separation you are required to take on overtime or start a second job to re-establish yourself with (for example) a new car or furniture. Your additional income can be excluded from the assessment calculations;
  

• If, in the current financial year your income has dropped by 15% or more from the previous financial year. You can seek to have your new estimated income used for assessment purposes;

• There are certain circumstances where you could make payments towards your child’s expenses such as school fees or private health insurance and have those amounts credited against the “cash” amount of child support payable.

There are also situations where you may be able to make an application to the Child Support Agency for a Change of Assessment such as if:

• Your capacity to pay child support is significantly affected by the high costs of spending time or communicating with your children;
  

• Your necessary expenses significantly affect your capacity to support your child;
  

• Your responsibility to support another child you currently live with significantly reduces your capacity for support.

To ensure that the child support imposed is right for you contact our experienced team of family lawyers.