I really want to know how the hell someone can deny their child and completely walk away from them, reduce the amount of childsupport they pay by telling childsupport they earn less then what they actually do, then make an arrangement to pay childsupport directly so it dosent come out of their wage and just not pay!!
I'm a single mum of an autistic 7 year old boy, I also have a 10 yr old daughter to another man who is a really good dad. I work full time but I consistently have to leave work and accept a pay cut to take my son to appointments with therapist and psychologists or pick him up from school early when hes had a meltdown.
I earn a okay wage but recently because I went over the cap for a concession card by $250 I no longer get concession for anything and everything is so much more expensive! Even medication has gone up!! (I earn $54,250 it's capped at $54,000). My sons fathers taxable income came back at $141,000 in july, a few weeks later he's contacted childsupport and told them nope I earn $100,000 and I don't want the money deducted from my wage anymore! I only found this out by the letters I received. The difference in what he paid in childsupport then and what he pays now isn't a small amount either! It's over $300 a month i no longer recieve from him, that $300 actually covered some of the appointments I need for our son that isn't covered by NDIS!
I'm so angry!! This guy left our son when he found out his diagnosis and realised it was going to be too hard for him, he doesn't even call him on his birthday, no Christmas calls either!! When my son try's to call him to speak to him he never picks up! He doesn't even reply to basic emails asking for care arrangements or help! We have court orders that he see's him fortnightly and half school holidays but he doesn't!
I don't know what to do! I contacted centrelink about my concession card but they told me the only way I would get one is if I took a pay cut! I tried to live of the disability support pension to help my son more but at $950 a fortnight it wasnt enough so I had to go back to work. My family tax is calculated on what I am meant to receive in childsupport too, but I'm not receiving childsupport at all!! This has happened 4 times over 6 years!! I won't receive any childsupport for 3 months, then ill have to contact childsupport for them to send out letters to his employer just to get childsupport deducted from his wage but that always takes another month or two to even get a payment. I don't understand how childsupport can allow this to happen all the time!!
I didn't just accidentally fall pregnant either! Our son was planned for months before it even happened and now he has a new family with a step daughter we get pushed aside like we don't even matter! Like our son doesn't even matter!
How can a man do this? How can a parent do this? I don't understand!! I live on my own, I pay everything on my own! Bills, rent, food, petrol, school fees and clothes, medications, appointments, I consistantly work my butt off and go without just so my kid are happy and comfortable but EVERYTHING is just always on me!! With no concession, daily living expenses and now no childsupport to help I really don't know what I'm going to do.
Please note I have made a claim to childsupport to reassess the case based on his special needs and appointment costs
6 Replies
I'm not sure why they would let him pay it like that instead of garnishing his wages, unless he's started working for himself? The income change doesn't surprise me though this happens all the time. Also make sure your care percentage is correct and not what the court order says. You have 100% care so that's what CSA and Centrelink should have on their records.
Some men aren't worth the air they breathe for how they treat their kids. I bet he likes to tell people you don't allow contact, like my ex does. Keep all your emails and records of contact so one day if he ever tries to tell your son it's your fault you have the proof there. Know that you're an amazing Mum and your child is worth all the love in the world and his Dad doesn't deserve him if he can't see it.
He’s checked out because he is autistic. You should apply for NDIS funding. I know junkies who have scammed NDIS and have housing and what ever they need. The whole system is flawed and should only be for those who need it. You need to be proud of yourself that you are doing this alone. He will get his karma. It sounds like your little boy is better off without this type of man in his life. Keep fighting child support and also maybe drop your $250 a year or come up with a deduction that drops it.
Tell them you want it from his wages and report him to ATO they’ll investigate his wages.
Do you receive carer allowance? It’s not based on your taxable income and will enable your child to have a health care card, it won’t cover you though. It’s a separate payment to carer payment that is based on taxable income. I’m not sure what the current amount is, as I only receive a part payment due to shared care, but it’s around $150 ish a fortnight. Make sure both Centrelink and CSA have you on record as having 100% care. Make sure CSA is down as they collect for you, so if he doesn’t pay the debt accrues. It doesn’t have to come out of his pay, he can actually transfer payment to them each month. If he doesn’t pay, the debt will sit there until he pays it off or he does his tax return. I think you can also speak to Centrelink and have your FTB based on the amount of child support you actually receive each month, rather than what you are supposed to get. It’s so unfair that men can play these games while women have to struggle to raise their children. I’m actually waiting on a call from CSA to let me know my ex has requested a reassessment as I “didn’t earn enough” last financial year. He’s done it every year for the past 4 years that I’ve been back at work.
Carers is $136.50 f/n.
It's not taxable income but it does have an income threshold you need to be under. It's very high, though - 250k household income.
Keep an eye on your payslips, salary sacrifice a little to keep your wage just under the threshold.