I don't look after the children most of the time (paying parent)

If you have split up from your partner and they have most of the care of your children, you may have to pay child support.

We will contact you if the other parent has applied for a child support assessment. We will need to ask you for some personal information about you, your ex and the children to work out how much child support you need to pay (child support assessment).

This information will be kept private.* We collect personal information for child support purposes only and we don't pass these details onto the other parent unless we have to by law or if it is absolutely necessary to make a decision that would affect the other parent.

Once we have this information we can work out how much child support you will need to pay. We do this by using a formula that is based on both parents' income and how much time the children stay at your place.

We can then set up your child support case so that you can keep track of how much should be going to the children.

Once your case has been registered we will send you information in the mail about your child support case with support information materials such as our Parents Guide to Child Support booklet.

If things change for you - like you get a new job, you lose your job or you have a new baby - you need to tell CSA as soon as possible. Changes like these can affect how much child support you pay. If you don't tell us these changes you may end up paying too much child support.

It's also important you keep your contact details up to date so you can receive all the latest information.

What if you're finding it tough to pay child support?

If you're finding it tough paying child support or you're not sure what's going on contact CSA on 131 272. We can talk through your options. It's important you pay your child support in full and on time because it benefits your children. Most parents try to do the right thing and CSA can provide you with extra support and advice to help if you are having trouble making your payments. We urge you to call us and ask for help before you build a large debt. Constantly not paying overdue amounts will only make the problem worse. If you prefer to speak to someone you can visit one of our offices and arrange to talk to someone about your case.

*Some information may be passed to Centrelink, the Australian Taxation Office or to a law enforcement agency. CSA may also provide your contact details to people contracted by us to deliver services to separated parents, or carry out research to help improve our services. You are not obliged to participate in any programs or research.