Child support. I don’t understand the webpage can someone help me out.
How do you apply for child support? Can you specify how much $ a week, I kind of gather there is 3 options for receiving payment, if I was to do private collections how does this work. I what sort of paperwork do I have to complete
How do you enter a annual amount when you don’t know how much he earns (except a lot)
Can it be back paid?
I have contacted the csa office but I don’t really understand all the lingo and jargon
Then I have to apply for the ftb.
7 Replies
Private agreement: that's when you discuss with your ex and decide on an amount together. It has to be fair for both and it has to be close to what CSA say he should be paying or they might reject it. Example if they say he should be paying $1100 a month they are not going to accept him paying only $200 a month. Private agreements only work if you get on well with your ex and he's good at paying on time . If he's not going to pay it regularly Centrelink won't care and they will pay you with reduced payments as though he IS paying, even if you can prove he's not. So if you're relying on only Centrelink and CS it's a bit risky going with a private agreement. You usually just need to tell them what the agreement is and they confirm it with the other party.
CSA collect: This is when CSA collect on your behalf and deal with both parties. You can't choose the amount. This is the stress free way if you can't rely on your ex to pay.
I don't know what the third option would be because I've only known these two! My advice is CSA collect. My ex managed a so called zero income after we split for 2 years, my teenagers got $28 a month. Then the tax man caught up with him and I was owed nearly 30k for the previous 2 years. I would never have got that back pay if I was on a private agreement.
Thank you. This does help. But I don’t know his exact annual income, do I just estimate it?
Thank you. This does help. But I don’t know his exact annual income, do I just estimate it?
CSA should know it already, they base it off last year's income. They should tell you what his income is and what he should be paying, they normally send a letter
And what if there is a pay rise the following financial year, I don’t suppose you get any back pay
And what if there is a pay rise the following financial year, I don’t suppose you get any back pay
No, you don't get back pay. They just update the amounts for the next financial year