Has anyone successfully collected a child support debt? My ex and I split when our daughter was one, we agreed that he would pay the amount nominated by the csa directly into my bank account. This has gone without much issue for 7 years. Until the last assessment where he objected to the amount and provided csa with an estimate of his expected income. He underestimated by $60,000 and now owes over $7,000 in child support. I have been told that the csa can't collect this as we have had a private agreement (up until I spoke to them & had it changed to go through them.) I just want to know if and how anyone has successfully collected this kind of debt. So far people have told me that I can kiss the money goodbye or get a lawyer (at some significant cost). I have no contact details for him either, he dropped off my radar after he questioned the last amount.
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Basically, you have been told the correct information. Child Support can be collected in three ways.
1. Private agreement (such as yours) - CSA will not have any jurisdiction or recourse to collect funds if the paying parent doesn't pay. There is no accumulation of debt, they will not backdate.
2. Child support calculates, you collect - CSA can chase the paying parent for up to 3 months worth of payments in arrears. Will not backdate.
3. Child support calculates and collects - any unpaid child support will accumulate and can be collected from paying parent's centrelink payments, tax returns etc. Debt will always exist until it is cleared. Even if paying parent drops off radar, the debt will accumulate.