Hey there!
Just wondering about child support and ato.
I have two kids with my ex, and we broke up in about September last year.
So my ex messaged me last night and said something along the lines of ‘hey I just said on my tax return that I’ve been paying you $100 a week since November last year if you get asked about it’
He hasn’t been paying this amount. It’s only been $50 a week (as we agreed on, so that’s fine) and I would almost say he’s missed more payments than he’s actually paid. Also fine, I understand why.
I’m not complaining about the amount he’s actually paying. I’m just curious as to whether any of you know whether the $100 a week he’s claimed to the ato to have paid is going to affect my parenting payment or ftb going forward? Am I going to end up owing money?
Thanks!
9 Replies
Yes it will, you will end up with a debt from being over paid by $50 a week (even though he didn’t actually pay that) only claim what he has actually paid you! Keep that message as proof in case you need to fight his claim. If I was you I would swap to csa collect, don’t let him try and pull shiftiest on you.
Yes it does. Child support calculate his child support payment and your ftb payment is less because of that.
Tell him he's better give it to you then because centrelink will give you the debt.
Op here.. I should add.
I don’t think he’s claimed it to rip me off at all. It’s more trying to get a bigger return from ato and doesn’t realise it will affect me anyway.
Also, we’ve only recently (the last month or so) done a child support assessment. I’m not sure what the assessed amount is but I’m pretty sure both the $50 he pays me, and even the $100 he’s claimed to have paid me are under the assessed amount.
Also wondering... will I have to do a tax return since I’m receiving child support?
I haven’t had to the last few years when we were together since I wasn’t earning any income. Does child support mean I need to complete a return? And will I be asked on there how much child support I’m being paid? If I claim the correct amount there will obviously be a discrepancy between the two.
Your centrelink payments will be affected by the assessed amount, not what he pays. If he is meant to be paying $150 a week but isn't, then you are going to be left short changed with centrelink. If he doesn't start paying the assessed amount regularly you should be having CSA collect for you.
No they don't check with you that you received it. They just assume you have and deduct it from your amount. They will give you a debt and they will also reassess your payment and lower it. Whatever they have assessed as his payment, You're losing that much from your centrelink as they deem he contributes it. So he is taking money from you.
He is trying to lower his taxable income. Centrelink makes their assessment on what he should be paying, given to them by CSA. If you get more or less CS that's between the two of you, if you privately collect. Child Support along with FTB are not taxable payments. You only need to lodge a tax return if you earn over the threshold which is $18k ish.
Okay thank you! so do you think what he’s doing will affect what payments I get, or money I owe? Or will it just affect our child support assessment in the future?
You will get less FBT etc and be complicit to FRAUD. Tell him you won’t lie for him. you don’t need that risk, especially as your not even together!