Your Child Support Questions Answered
Child support is one of the most confusing areas separated parents have to deal with. The questions below cover the issues that come up most often, both about how the Australian system works and about what it means to work with a child support advocate. If your question is not answered here, the simplest way to get clarity is to call Simon Bacon on (02) 9137 4130 and talk it through.
How is child support calculated in Australia?
Child support is calculated by Services Australia using a formula under the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989. The main ingredients are each parent's adjusted taxable income, a self-support amount, the cost of the children (based on the parents' combined income and the children's ages), and the percentage of care each parent provides. The formula nets these figures to determine who pays and how much. Because the result depends entirely on the accuracy of those inputs, an error in income or care percentages can produce a significantly wrong assessment.
My assessment looks wrong. What can I do?
If you believe a child support decision is wrong, you can usually lodge an objection with Services Australia. If your circumstances involve special factors the standard formula does not capture, a change of assessment may be the better path. The right avenue depends on your situation, and choosing it correctly matters. A child support advocate can quickly identify which pathway applies and how to put your case. See the Child Support Disputes page for more detail.
What is the time limit to object to a child support decision?
In most cases you have 28 days from being notified of a decision to lodge an objection if you are in Australia (a longer period can apply if you live overseas). It is sometimes possible to seek an extension, but extensions are not guaranteed. The safest approach is always to act quickly — many parents lose options simply by waiting too long.
What is a change of assessment?
A change of assessment is a process that asks Services Australia to depart from the standard formula because special circumstances apply in your case. There are ten recognised reasons, covering things like the high costs of spending time with a child, a child's special needs, a parent's true earning capacity, and significant property or financial resources the formula overlooks. The Change of Assessment page explains the reasons and the process in full.
What are the 10 reasons for a change of assessment?
In broad terms, the ten reasons cover: the high costs of spending time with or communicating with a child; a child's special needs; extra costs of caring for or educating the child as the parents intended; the child's own income or resources affecting the assessment; money or property already provided for the child; high child care costs; a parent's necessary expenses; the assessment not reflecting a parent's real income, property, resources or earning capacity; a duty to maintain another person or children; and responsibility for a resident child. Each reason has its own requirements and evidence threshold.
The other parent has reduced their income to lower their child support. Can anything be done?
Often, yes. Where a parent has deliberately reduced their hours, structured income through a business or trust, or is otherwise under-earning, the change of assessment process can examine their true earning capacity rather than just their taxable income. These cases turn on careful financial evidence, which is exactly where experienced help makes a difference.
I am self-employed and my assessment does not reflect my real situation. Is that common?
Very. Self-employed parents and those with variable or seasonal income are some of the hardest cases for the standard formula to handle, because taxable income can look very different from the cash actually available after deductions, retained profits and timing differences. Both paying and receiving parents can be disadvantaged. A change of assessment can address how the assessment treats self-employed and variable income.
What is the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART)?
The Administrative Review Tribunal is the independent body that reviews certain child support decisions after the agency's objection process. It commenced in October 2024, replacing the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). If you remain dissatisfied after an objection decision, the matter can generally be escalated to the ART, subject to strict time limits. The ART provides an external check where a parent believes the agency has got a decision wrong.
I have a large child support debt. What are my options?
Child support debts can grow quickly, especially where the underlying assessment was wrong from the start. The first step is to understand how the debt arose. In some cases the assessment that created it can still be challenged; in others, the focus is on dealing constructively with the agency about the debt itself. Ignoring a debt almost always makes it worse, so it is best to address it early and with a clear plan.
Does child support interact with tax and family payments?
Yes, and the interactions are widely misunderstood. Income definitions, the timing of returns, and the flow-on effects to family assistance payments can all be affected by your child support position. Getting these wrong can be costly. Simon has discussed the child support and tax interaction publicly, including as a guest on the Tax Talks podcast, and brings that awareness to the cases he assists with.
What does a child support advocate actually do?
A child support advocate works on your side of the table within the administrative system. Simon Bacon helps you understand your assessment, identifies whether an objection, change of assessment or review is the right path, prepares applications and evidence that meet the agency's criteria, deals with Services Australia on the technical detail, and keeps your matter on track and within time limits. It is advisory and advocacy work — administrative, not court litigation.
Will you guarantee a particular outcome?
No, and you should be cautious of anyone who does. Child support outcomes depend on the facts, the evidence and the law, and no one can honestly guarantee a result. What an experienced advocate offers instead is an honest assessment of your prospects, the right strategy, and a case put as strongly as the facts allow. Simon will tell you plainly if a matter has merit and just as plainly if it does not.
How do I get started with Simon Bacon?
The first step is simply a conversation. Call Simon on (02) 9137 4130 to discuss your child support situation. He will help you understand where you stand and what your options are. You can also read more about Simon's background on the About page or explore the Child Support Disputes and Change of Assessment pages first.
Do you help both paying and receiving parents?
Yes. Simon assists parents on both sides of an assessment. Child support disputes are rarely about parents who do not want to support their children — far more often they are about a formula producing a result that does not fit the family. Whether you pay or receive, the aim is the same: an assessment that is accurate, lawful and fair.