Child Support Guide updates - 2025
- 22 September 2025 (v4.94)
- 8 September 2025 (v4.93)
- 11 August 2025 (v4.92)
- 1 July 2025 (v4.91)
- 12 May 2025 (v4.90)
- 1 April 2025 (v4.89)
- 20 March 2025 (v4.88)
- 3 February 2025 (v4.87)
- 2 January 2025 (v4.86)
22 September 2025 (v4.94)
| Page | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.M.10 | Member of a couple | Clarified definition. |
| 1.6.2 | Residence & citizenship - child | Clarified policy. |
| 2.1.2 | Eligible child | Clarified policy. |
| 2.3.2 | Current formula values | Updated CPI figures. |
| 2.3.3 | Historical formula values | Updated historical CPI figures. |
| 5.6.2 | Registrar-initiated change of assessment | Clarified policy. |
8 September 2025 (v4.93)
| Page | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 3.4.1 | Making an income estimate election | Clarified policy. |
11 August 2025 (v4.92)
| Page | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6.4 | Habitual residency under the Australia-New Zealand agreement | Updated examples. |
| 5.1 | What is a change of assessment? | Clarified policy. |
1 July 2025 (v4.91)
This release is the final stage of the 2024–25 Child Support Guide restructure. The restructure has enabled the review of policy and example wording to simplify language and improve readability. Please be aware that minor wording changes may not be listed below.
| Page | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Using the Child Support Guide | Updated to reflect restructure of the Child Support Guide. | |
| 2 | Child support assessments | Restructured part. |
| 2.1 | Applying for a child support assessment | Clarified chapter. |
| 2.2 | The formulas | Updated chapter - information relocated from 2.4. |
| 2.3 | Child support formula tables, rates & values | Restructured chapter - relocated from 2.4 and updated rates. |
| 2.4 | Child support periods | Restructured chapter. |
| 2.5 | Making & amending child support assessments | Restructured chapter. |
| 2.6 | Suspending & ending assessments | Restructured chapter. |
| 2.8 | Court variation to assessments (deleted) | Removed chapter - relocated to 2.5. |
| 2.9 | Making & amending child support assessments (deleted - see 2.5) | Removed chapter - relocated to 2.5. |
| 2.10 | Suspending & ending assessments (deleted - see 2.6) | Chapter relocated to 2.6. |
| 3 | Income | Restructured and relocated part. |
| 3.1 | Child support income | Restructured and relocated chapter. |
| 3.2 | Tax lodgement | Restructured and relocated chapter. |
| 3.3 | Provisional income - determination of ATI | Restructured and relocated chapter. |
| 3.4 | Estimated income | Restructured and relocated chapter. |
| 3.5 | Post-separation income | Restructured and relocated chapter. |
| 4 | Care | Restructured and relocated part. |
| 4.1 | Overview of care | Restructured and relocated chapter. |
| 4.2 | Disputed care & interim care rules | Restructured and relocated chapter. |
| 4.3 | Alignment of care between child support & FTB | Restructured and relocated chapter. |
12 May 2025 (v4.90)
The Child Support Guide is in the process of being restructured.
| Page | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| - | Using the Child Support Guide | Updated to reflect restructure of the Child Support Guide. |
| 1.1.I.35 | Income-tested pension, allowance or benefit | New page. |
| 2.6 | Change of assessment in special circumstances (deleted - see Part 5) | Removed chapter. |
| 2.7 | Agreements (deleted - see Part 6) | Removed chapter. |
| 5 | Change of assessment | New part (due to restructure). |
| 6 | Agreements | New part (due to restructure). |
1 April 2025 (v4.89)
The Child Support Guide is in the process of being restructured.
| Page | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| - | Using the Child Support Guide | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
| 1.5.2 | International agreements & conventions | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
| 1.5.3.20 | Registering overseas maintenance liabilities for collection | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
| 1.5.3.30 | Overseas maintenance liabilities that cannot be registered | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
| 1.5.3.40 | Overseas maintenance liabilities & changes in circumstances | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
| 2.1.1 | Applications for assessment | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
| 2.1.3 | Parentage | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
| 2.6.5 | Change of assessment process - application from payer or payee | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
| 2.6.17 | Would a change be just & equitable? | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
| 2.6.18 | Would a change be otherwise proper? | Updated to reflect commencement of Family Law Regulations 2024. |
20 March 2025 (v4.88)
The Child Support Guide is in the process of being restructured.
| Page | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| - | Using the Child Support Guide | Updated to reflect restructure of the Child Support Guide. |
| 1.4.3 | Frequently asked questions (FAQ) | New section. |
| 3.1.3 | Child maintenance orders (deleted - see 9.1.1) | Removed information. |
| 3.1.4 | Orders for step-parents to pay child maintenance (deleted - see 9.1.2) | Removed information. |
| 3.1.5 | Spousal & de facto maintenance orders (deleted - see 9.1.3) | Removed information. |
| 3.1.6 | Court registered agreements, financial agreements & parenting plans (deleted - see 9.1.4) | Removed information. |
| 3.2 | Requirements of registrable court orders & court registered agreements (deleted - see 9.3) | Removed chapter. |
| 3.3 | Notification of court orders & court registered agreements (deleted - see 9.3.3) | Removed chapter. |
| 3.4.1 | Requirement to advise the Registrar of new order or affecting event (deleted - see 9.2.1) | Removed information. |
| 3.4.2 | New order or court registered agreement that affects a liability (deleted - see 9.2.2) | Removed information. |
| 3.4.3 | CPI indexation for cost of living | Updated CPI Figures. |
| 3.4.4 | Joint election to suspend collection after a change in care (deleted - see 9.2.3) | Removed information. |
| 3.4.5 | Suspension for unemployment (low-income non-enforcement period) (deleted - see 9.2.4) | Removed information. |
| 3.5 | Interpreting court orders (deleted - see 9.3.4) | Removed chapter. |
| 4 | Objecting, seeking a review, appealing & applying to court (deleted - see Part 10) | Removed part. |
| 5 | Collecting child support (deleted - see Part 7 & Part 8) | Removed part. |
| 6 | Administration (deleted - see Part 11) | Removed part. |
| 7.3.1.10 | Opting out to private collect | Updated policy. |
| 8.1.7 | Election to end collection of arrears | New page. |
| 9 | Australian court orders & court registered agreements | New part. |
| 10 | Objections, external reviews & court appeals | New part. |
| 11 | Administration | New part. |
3 February 2025 (v4.87)
The Child Support Guide is in the process of being restructured.
| Page | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| - | Using the Child Support Guide | Updated to reflect restructure of the Child Support Guide. |
| 1.5.3 | Overseas orders, court registered agreements & assessments | New section. |
| 2.2.3 | Below regular care determinations | Updated policy. |
| 2.2.4 | Interim care provisions & disputed care arrangements | Updated policy. |
| 2.9.3 | When child support is due & payable (deleted - see 7.1.1) | Removed information. |
| 2.9.4 | Private recovery of child support (deleted - see 8.4.8) | Removed information. |
| 3.1.2 | Recovery orders (deleted - see 8.4.7) | Removed information. |
| 3.6 | Overseas orders, court registered agreements & assessments (deleted - see 1.5.3) | Removed chapter. |
| 5.1 | Agency collection (deleted - see 7.4) | Removed chapter. |
| 5.2 | Administrative enforcement (deleted - see Part 8) | Removed chapter. |
| 5.3 | Non-agency payments, crediting lump sum payments & offsetting liabilities (deleted - see 7.5 & 8.1.6) | Removed chapter. |
| 5.4 | Court enforcement (deleted - see 8.4) | Removed chapter. |
| 5.5.2 | Entitlement to payment & disbursement cycle (deleted - see 7.1.2) | Removed information. |
| 5.5.3 | Top up (deleted - see 7.4.3.30) | Removed information. |
| 5.6 | Ending & reapplying for collection (deleted - see 7.3.1.10 & 7.4.1.10) | Removed chapter. |
| 5.7 | Non-pursuit of debts (deleted - see 8.1.4) | Removed chapter. |
| 5.8 | Obsolete entries (deleted - see 8.1.5) | Removed chapter. |
| 7 | Child support collection & payment options | New Part. |
| 8 | Child support debt & enforcement | New Part. |
2 January 2025 (v4.86)
The Child Support Guide is in the process of being restructured.
| Page | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.A | Key terms beginning with the letter A | Increased section. |
| 1.1.B | Key terms beginning with the letter B | New section. |
| 1.1.C | Key terms beginning with the letter C | New section. |
| 1.1.D | Key terms beginning with the letter D | New section. |
| 1.1.E | Key terms beginning with the letter E | New section. |
| 1.1.F | Key terms beginning with the letter F | New section. |
| 1.1.G | Key terms beginning with the letter G | New section. |
| 1.1.H | Key terms beginning with the letter H | New section. |
| 1.1.I | Key terms beginning with the letter I | New section. |
| 1.1.L | Key terms beginning with the letter L | New section. |
| 1.1.M | Key terms beginning with the letter M | New section. |
| 1.1.N | Key terms beginning with the letter N | New section. |
| 1.1.O | Key terms beginning with the letter O | New section. |
| 1.1.P | Key terms beginning with the letter P | New section. |
| 1.1.R | Key terms beginning with the letter R | New section. |
| 1.1.S | Key terms beginning with the letter S | New section. |
| 1.1.T | Key terms beginning with the letter T | New section. |
| 1.1.Y | Key terms beginning with the letter Y | New section. |
| 1.5.1 | Australia's international maintenance arrangements | Clarified policy. |
| 1.6.1 | Australian residence - parent or non-parent carer | Clarified policy. |
| 1.6.3 | Resident of a reciprocating jurisdiction | Clarified policy. |
| 2.1.1 | Applications for assessment | Clarified policy. |
| 2.1.3 | Parentage | Clarified policy. |
| 2.2.1 | Basics of care | Clarified policy. |
| 2.3 | Child support periods | Clarified policy. |
| 2.3.1 | What is a child support period? (deleted - see 1.1.C.50) | Removed information. |
| 2.3.2 | When do child support periods start? | Restructured page. |
| 2.3.3 | When do child support periods end? | Restructured page. |
| 2.3.4 | Child support years (pre 1 July 1999) (deleted - see 1.1.C.170) | Removed information. |
| 2.4.1 | The formulas | Clarified policy. |
| 2.4.2 | Formula tables & values | Updated Costs of the children tables, child support inflation factor and relocated explanation of rates, figures and factors to section 1.1 Definition of key terms. |
| 2.4.4 | Income | Restructured section. |
| 2.4.4.10 | Child support income | Content previously found in 2.4.4.20 now in 2.4.4.10. Updated title, restructured and clarified information. |
| 2.4.4.20 | Adjusted taxable income | Content previously found in 2.4.4.10 now in 2.4.4.20. Restructured and clarified information. |
| 2.4.4.25 | Relevant dependent child amount | New page. |
| 2.4.5 | Care, cost & child support percentages (deleted - see 1.1.C.20, 1.1.C.200, 1.1.C.140) | Content previously found in 2.4.5 now in 1.1.C.20, 1.1.C.200 and 1.1.C.140. |
| 2.4.6 | The costs of the child | Clarified policy. |
| 2.4.7 | Formula 1 - the basic formula - a single case assessment | Clarified policy. |
| 2.4.9 | Formulas when a parent has multiple child support cases (Formulas 3 & 4) | Restructured section. |
| 2.4.9.10 | Formula 3 - multiple child support cases | New page. |
| 2.4.9.20 | Formula 4 - multiple child support cases with a non-parent carer | New page. |
| 2.4.13 | Historical formula tables & values | Added historical information to tables. |
| 2.4.14 | Historical CPI values | Updated CPI figures. |
| 2.5 | Applications & elections to amend an assessment | Clarified policy. |
| 2.5.1 | Income estimates for a year of income | Clarified policy. |
| 2.5.1.10 | Making an income estimate election | Clarified policy. |
| 2.5.2 | Exclusion of additional income earned post-separation | Clarified policy. |
| 2.6.10 | Reason 4 - income of the child | Updated rates. |
| 2.6.14 | Reason 8 - a parent's income, property, financial resources, or earning capacity | Clarified policy. |
| 2.10.1 | Suspension of liability to pay child support when parents reconcile | Clarified policy. |
| 3.1.7 | Collection agency maintenance liabilities (deleted - see 1.1.C.180) | Content previously found in 3.1.7 now in 1.1.C.180. |
| 3.4.3 | CPI indexation for cost of living | Updated CPI figures and example. |
| 5 | Collecting child support | Clarified policy. |
| 5.1.5 | Payment periods & payment of child support debts | Clarified policy. |
| 5.2.4 | Employer obligations for collection from salary or wages | Added 2025 protected earnings amount. |
| 5.2.8 | Tax refund intercepts | Clarified policy. |