So in 20 years of working within child support I always hear “I wish spoke to you earlier” “I wish I knew that”
So here are Andrew’s top 5 tips for managing your way through CS

Do Tax-

• The absolute worst thing any parent can do is not lodge their tax.
• When a payer does not lodge they all but guarantee a future debt or that they will pay/accrue more debt than needed
• When a receiving parent does not lodge they all but guarantee an overpayment later or being under paid less than is correct
• Due to the relationship between CS and FTB A it also creates claw back debts for a receiver when CSA create retrospective debts and this can make any private collection crumble

There is Private Collection and There Are Child Support Registered Agreements

• There is no such thing as a private agreement. There are Child Support agreements and there is private collection.
• If parents want to defer from the CSA assessment they 100% can, but must use an agreement to do so
• If parents want the CSA not to collect and do it direct this can happen to but this should be well documented with respect to CSA legislation to avoid future debts and arrears claims. (See private collection info under information tab)

Care

• It is also better if both parents lodge all care changes within 28 days as late ones often lead to payers debts
• Care will default to nights but can be measured in days for people who provide significant daytime care (see care info under Information menu)

Credit of Non Cash Payments

• For something to be credited to child support when CSA collects (excluding prescribed rules) parents must agree when the payment is made not after. This means payers who buy the kids who buy an item cannot ask after the fact for it to be CS, as agreement was not done prior to spending the money

Financial Settlement Can be CS if intended

• Always ask during financial settlement if any money or property given should impact CS. It can be and this is why binding agreements are there. These agreements can also set income and care costs used in the CSA formula. Yes you can write your own.  (Subscribe now and see our agreements information)