In the case of a 50/50 split, the higher earner usually pays child support to the lower earner to ensure the children's standard of living is the same in both locations.
Understanding how much FTB you can get when sharing care
You can share the payment of FTB between you and the other carer or carers. We assess how much you get based on both: the percentage of time the child spends in your care.
If a determination is made prior to separation then the individual is eligible for FTB. However, if a determination is made after separation then both the individual and ex-partner are eligible for FTB.
Do you pay less child support if you have another child? Yes. Your assessment is based on the number of dependent children that you have. If you have a child with a new partner, then that new child is considered a dependent.
This means that both parents can independently make decisions about the child. When the parents of a child under the age of 18 separate, they both continue to share parental responsibility for the child in this way.
In Australia shared custody means that the non-residential parent pays child support to the residential parent. In the case of a 50/50 split, the higher earner usually pays child support to the lower earner to ensure the children's standard of living is the same in both locations.
If you have shared care for at least 52 nights a year, you don't need to pay any child maintenance.
2. It's unfair to hard-working parents. Australia's child support formula is generally unfair to parents who earn a good income. Every dollar that's given to one parent because they have a lower income is a dollar taken from the main financial contributor.
2. What is the maximum child support in Australia? You can calculate the maximum child support amount using the combined income of both parents, up to 2.5 times the annual equivalent of the Male Total Average Weekly Earnings, as well as the Costs of Children Table.
The fixed rate for child support periods starting on or after 1 January 2023 is $1,632 per child per year.
Child Benefit if you're divorcing or separating
Child Benefit can only be paid to one person, and it's important it's paid to the main carer. This is usually the parent your child or children live with most of the time.
The CCB is paid to the parent who is “primarily” in charge of the care and upbringing of the child. For parents who are separated or divorced, however, the rules that determine whether each parent can collect CCB payments depend on whether the parents have shared custody.
The Child Benefit Office will treat contributions for more than one child as being split equally, unless you ask them to consider something else. Your contributions will still count if more than one person is contributing for the same child.
In cases of shared custody, you are entitled to an amount equivalent to half of the amount that you would have received for the child, if the child were not in shared custody.
Any child support you receive can affect how much Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A you get. If you or your partner receive child support, these payments can affect your FTB. If the amount of child support you receive changes, your FTB payments may change too.
Family Tax Benefit Part A pays a maximum of $191.24 per fortnight for children up to 12, and $248.78 per fortnight for children up to 19, if they are eligible.
For the 2021-22 financial year, it's a payment of up to $788.40 for each eligible child. For the 2022-23 financial year, it's a payment of up to $817.60 for each eligible child.
On the basic rate, if you're paying for: one child, you'll pay 12% of your gross weekly income. two children, you'll pay 16% of your gross weekly income. three or more children, you'll pay 19% of your gross weekly income.
Normally child support stops when your child turns 18. If your child's in secondary study, you can apply to extend it to the end of the school year.
The basic rule in Australia is that it is the child's right to have access to both moms and dads. There's a rule of equal and shared parental responsibility that both the mother and father share unless there is an order determining otherwise.
During a separation or divorce it is not uncommon for one parent to try to limit or prevent contact between the young one and the other parent; the parent denying access to a child in Australia may believe they are doing this for valid reasons, but in most cases this is generally not allowed.
Child support scheme
Under Australian law, separated parents (including same sex parents) have a duty to provide a proper level of financial support for their children. The scheme provides a flexible way of ensuring that children are supported by their parents, often with the assistance of government benefits.
If both parents equally share the care of the children, then neither parent will make child maintenance payments or be responsible for child support arrangements.
Alternating weeks are one of the simplest 50/50 schedules. In this pattern, one week is spent with Parent A while the following week is spent with Parent B. This keeps parenting exchanges to an absolute minimum while still allowing both parents to have robust relationships with their children.
No child support payments if 50/50 care
“Shared care where it exists should have no payments from either party as both parents have their expenses with their children, food, clothing and other support that they choose to provide on their income.”