You have four options for child support. There is no right or wrong option, only the option that best matches your needs:-
1. Informal agreement
- You and your ex-partner can agree between you how much child support will be paid, whether it is cash or non-cash things like private school fees or a combination of both.
- You can do this without the involvement of the Child Support Agency.
2. Assessment by the Child Support Agency
- Either parent can apply to CSA for a child support assessment.
- CSA will calculate the amount of child support to be paid factoring in:
- the costs of raising children
- the income of both parents, and
- the percentage of time each parent cares for the children.
3. Limited child support agreement
- This is a formal agreement signed by both parents.
- You can agree to cash payments, non-cash items such as private school fees and health insurance, or a combination of both.
- A child support assessment from CSA is required to be in place before the agreement will be accepted.
- The agreed amount of child support must be for an amount that is at least the amount of the CSA assessment.
- Neither parent is required to get legal advice before entering into the agreement.
4. Binding child support agreement
- This is a formal agreement signed by both parents.
- There is no need for CSA to have made a child support assessment
- The agreement can be made for any amount that both parents agree to.
- Both parents must obtain independent, specific legal advice before making the agreement.
Justine Dean – Samford Family Law