The Guides to Social Policy Law is a collection of publications designed to assist decision makers administering social policy law. The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to social security payments. The information is accurate as at the date listed at the bottom of the page, but may be subject to change. To discuss individual circumstances please contact Services Australia.

2.5 Applications & elections to amend an assessment

Introduction

This chapter describes the applications and elections that may be made to amend a child support assessment.

It describes:

  • how and when a parent can make an estimate of income when their income decreases
  • how a parent may apply to have certain income earned after separation excluded from their assessment, and
  • how a parent can make an application for the fixed annual assessment ($20 per child, per week, indexed) not to be used, or can apply to reduce the minimum annual rate of child support to nil.

It also contains information about applying to have an assessment continued to the end of the school year in which a secondary student turns 18. An application can also be made to have a relevant dependent child taken into account in a parent's assessments for other children until the end of the relevant school year.

WA ex-nuptial cases

All of the information in these chapters applies to WA-ex nuptial children. See 1.4.3 for details of the date from which various provisions had effect.

Last reviewed: