Using the Child Support Guide
Welcome to the Child Support Guide (CS Guide). The CS Guide has been designed as a web publication (HTML) and is not available in a single electronic file or in paper format.
What does the CS Guide cover?
The CS Guide is divided into 11 parts:
| Part name | What is covered |
|---|---|
| 1 Key terms, principles & background | Definitions of key terms and definitions used in the CS Guide, the objects and the background of the Scheme and a brief history of legislative amendments, frequently asked questions as well as family and domestic violence, international arrangements and residence. |
| 2 Child support assessments | Description of the rules relating to child support assessments, including the formulas that are used to calculate how much child support may be payable. |
| 3 Income | Explanation of how a parent's child support income is calculated and includes information about a parent's tax lodgement obligation, the types of incomes that may be used in an assessment, and the rules that apply to these incomes. |
| 4 Care | Explanation of the basics of care, disputed care and interim care rules. |
| 5 Change of assessment | Description of the change of assessment process, the reasons under which a change of assessment application can be made, and the issues that the Registrar must consider when making a decision to change an assessment under CSA Act Part 6A. |
| 6 Agreements | Description of how parents can make child support agreements and the effect of a child support agreement upon a child support assessment. |
| 7 Child support collection & payment options | Explanation of when child support is due and payable, collection types (private collect and agency collect), and the different ways that child support can be paid by a payer. |
| 8 Child support debt enforcement | Information on child support debt and explanation of the options available to Services Australia to enforce child support debts. |
| 9 Australian maintenance orders & court registered agreements | Description of the types of orders an Australian court can make under the FL Act which can be registered and enforced by the Registrar. It also describes court registered maintenance agreements. |
| 10 Objections, external reviews & court appeals | Description of the rules relating to objections, reviews, appeals and court applications under the child support legislation. |
| 11 Administration | Description of the various provisions that affect how the Registrar exercises decision-making powers in child support cases. |
Use of abbreviations
For ease of reference the following abbreviations are used in the Guide:
- Scheme - Child Support Scheme
- CSRC Act - Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988
- CSA Act - Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989
- CSRC Regs - Child Support (Registration and Collection) Regulations 2018
- CSA Regs - Child Support (Assessment) Regulations 2018
- CS Guide - Child Support Guide
- FL Act - Family Law Act 1975
- FL Regs - Family Law Regulations 2024
- FA Guide - Family Assistance Guide
- FAAct - A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999
- FA(Admin)Act - A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999
- SS Guide - Social Security Guide
- SSAct - Social Security Act 1991
- SS(Admin)Act - Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
- PPL Guide - Paid Parental Leave Guid
- PPLAct - Paid Parental Leave Act 2010
- ARTAct - Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024
Finding information
The following features are provided to assist in finding relevant information:
- Search - type your search term (words or phrases) in the search box at the top of the page. The Advanced search on the results page allows a search to be limited to a specific Guide or Guides.
- Site map - gives an overall picture of the structure of the Child Support Guide.
- Keyword index - this provides an extensive list of words which can be used to search for specific topics.