Child Custody
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Child Support Legal Assistance
Looking for help with child support? Want the top lawyers to assist you? Choose Hodgson Lawyers for the best results!
Child support is about providing money to help kids when their parents are no longer together. This is managed by the Child Support Agency.
Our skilled lawyers are here to guide you through everything about child support. We can help you understand if you should be getting money for your child or children, or if you’re being asked to pay and think it’s not fair for your situation.
Child Support Legal Assistance
Looking for help with child support? Want the top lawyers to assist you? Choose Hodgson Lawyers for the best results!
Child support is about providing money to help kids when their parents are no longer together. This is managed by the Child Support Agency.
Our skilled lawyers are here to guide you through everything about child support. We can help you understand if you should be getting money for your child or children, or if you’re being asked to pay and think it’s not fair for your situation.
Understanding Child Support
What is Child Support?
Child support is money one parent pays to the other parent to help with the costs of their child. It’s all about making sure the child gets the financial support they need. The Child Support (Assessment) Act lets a parent or the main person taking care of the child ask for child support from the other parent.
The Department of Human Services (DHS), which used to be called the Child Support Agency, takes care of handling these child support payments. They also work out how much money needs to be paid.
How is Child Support calculated?
A Child Support Assessment figures out how much one parent should pay the other for child support. It uses a formula that looks at both parents’ incomes, where the children spend their time, and the costs involved in caring for them.
The DHS does this assessment. They consider the costs for the kids, the incomes of both parents, who takes care of the children, if there are other kids in the parents’ homes who need support, and if there are any other child support matters involving these parents. Parents who are paying can ask to change their payments if they’re already covering expenses like school fees, childcare, medical or dental bills, or helping with rent or utility bills for the parent receiving the support.
Types of Child Support Agreements
Binding Child Support Agreement:
- This is a formal agreement that both parents sign.
- Both parents must get legal advice about the agreement and include a statement in it saying they’ve received this advice. This includes understanding the
effects, benefits, and downsides of the agreement before signing. - A lawyer for each parent must confirm in writing that they’ve given this advice.
- The amount of support can be any figure the parents agree on.
- This agreement can’t be changed; it can only be ended.
- There are limited reasons under the law for ending this agreement, like changes in finances, health, jobs, or child care responsibilities. It’s important to think about these possibilities before making the agreement.
- Getting advice from an experienced Child Support Lawyer is important to decide if this is the right choice and understand all the pros and cons
Limited Child Support Agreement:
- Legal advice isn’t necessary for the parents.
- There needs to be a current child support assessment by the Child Support Agency, and the support amount in the agreement can’t be lower than this assessment.
- Like the binding agreement, this one can’t be changed and has to be ended by a new agreement or a court order.
- It must be submitted to the DHS and approved to become legally binding.
- After three years, either parent can notify the Registrar to end the agreement.
- At any time, a parent can get a ‘notional assessment’ from the DHS. If this new assessment shows a change of more than 15% from the regular support amount in the agreement, the parent can end the agreement.
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