Child Support
Lawyers Sydney NSW
Sydney Family Lawyers
Experienced in Negotiating Child Support
Michael Conley Lawyers are expert family lawyers in Sydney providing a wide range of family-focused legal services, including financial settlements like child support. Our experienced legal team can guide you through everything you need to know about applying for a child support agreement in Australia, what is involved in a child support assessment and whether or not you can expect to pay child support.
Michael Conley Lawyers have expertise in a range of family law matters including divorce, maintenance payments, child custody, and more. We aim to secure the future of your family with the most beneficial outcomes.
Child Support
As one of the leading family law firms in Sydney, our objective is to secure the best possible outcome for your family. The goal of the child support scheme is to provide the children from your marriage or de facto relationship with the right financial support to ensure their quality of life.
As both parents are required to bear the costs of raising their children when they are in their care, child support is a payment made to the parent with a higher percentage of care to make the financial support of children equitable. Child support payments can be used for a variety of purposes, such as:
- food
- housing
- clothing
- school costs
- other activities.
As experienced legal professionals, we aim to facilitate a settlement that is the most beneficial for you and your family.
Our Approach To
Child Support & Family Law
Michael Conley Lawyers use a collaborative approach in working with our clients, supported by a diverse team of family law experts.
Our team includes barristers, partners, senior associates, paralegals, administrative staff, forensic accountants, counsellors, trained mediators, and arbitrators. Together, our team takes a holistic approach to every case and strives to achieve a sensible and cost-efficient resolution that suits your needs. Our goal is to resolve issues before heading to court to minimise the financial and emotional cost of these often difficult situations.
We understand how important communication and prompt response is during stressful times, which is why our team prioritises communication to ensure you know what is involved at each step. You are able to start proceedings with confidence and always know what’s happening with your case. We always reply to your calls and emails, and we’ll never ask you to call back later.
Looking for legal advice on child support agreements? Book a 15-minute FREE consultation to discuss and arrange a meeting with one of our accredited family law specialists.
OTHER FAMILY LAW SERVICES:
- Divorce Lawyers
- Legal Separation
- Child Custody
- Parental Child Abduction
- Spousal & Child Maintenance
- Probate Lawyers
- Family Law Mediator
- Same Sex Couple Separation
- De Facto Couples
- Family Court Litigation
- Splitting Assests
Want to know more about engaging family lawyers?
Book a 15-minute FREE consultation to discuss your needs and arrange a meeting with one of our family lawyers.
Child Support FAQs
What is child support?
The Child Support Scheme ensures that all children living in Australia whose parents have separated or divorced receive appropriate financial support and each parent is providing an equitable contribution. Either parent can apply for child support under the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989. Where a parent is unable to apply for child support this way, the Court does have the power to make child maintenance orders pursuant to the Family Law Act 1975 (see section 66G). For more information on what is child support read our latest post.
What age does child support stop?
Child support payments usually end at 18 years of age. The parent receiving child support may be able to request an extension of payments from the other parent under certain conditions, which is made by the court as an adult child maintenance order.
Regarding child maintenance, the FCFCOA has the power to make child support departure orders in certain circumstances, which go beyond the Child Support Assessment, and depends on the specifics of the case. You should speak to a lawyer if your child has additional costs which require financial support above the level of the Child Support Assessment.
Can child support be backdated in Australia?
Backdating a Child Support Agreement can be complicated by a myriad of factors. In this circumstance, it is best to seek legal advice about your individual circumstances.
Do I still have to pay child support if my ex remarries?
In short, typically yes. If you have entered into a Child Support Agreement to financially support your child, your former spouse remarrying will not affect your child support obligations.
What happens if you do not pay child support in Australia?
Failure to meet your child support obligations could result in penalties on the outstanding amount, which is paid to the Australian Government. If the overdue child support is paid in full, Services Australia may reduce or remove the penalty from your account.