Separation and divorce bring many challenges, especially when there are children involved. In fact, one of the most common questions our clients ask us is: how much is child support in Australia?
Thankfully, the Australian child support system is designed to facilitate appropriate contributions from both parents towards their children’s everyday expenses. Set formulas are used to determine how much child support a person will pay, based on several key variables, which we will outline for you. And with the median marriage lasting 9 years until separation and 13 years until a finalised divorce, know that you are not alone.
Daykin Family Law provide personalised advice that aligns with the highest standards of Australian family law. If our article doesn’t answer the questions you have, don’t hesitate to reach out to us so we can assist you. Let us help you secure a stable financial future for your children.
What is Child Support?
Child support is a financial obligation paid by one parent to the other, aimed at contributing to the everyday living expenses of their children following separation or divorce. Its core purpose is to ensure that children maintain a standard of living that closely resembles what they might have enjoyed had their family remained intact. This system underscores the principle that both parents bear equal responsibility for their children’s expenses and financial security and generally leads to more positive outcomes for children who are in this situation through no fault of their own.
In Australia, child support is predominantly governed by the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989, alongside the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) in some cases. These pieces of legislation establish the rules for assessing, collecting, and transferring child support payments, ensuring that the process is transparent, and considers the financial capacity of each parent. The Department of Human Services (DHS), through its Child Support Program, administers these laws, providing a structured approach to help parents manage their child support arrangements efficiently and equitably.
How Is Child Support Calculated?
To determine the child support amount, the DHS uses a child support assessment formula that examines the situation of both parents. There are six different formulas used to calculate the child support amount, which can be difficult to understand – but that’s OK, we’re here to help!
In most cases, the annual amount of child support will be calculated using Formula 1, the Basic Child Support Formula. This formula is used for single child support assessments where only the parents provide care for the children and neither parent has another child support assessment case.
How to Calculate Your Child Support
Let’s look at the steps to calculate child support. After outlining the initial steps, we go through an example with Bob and Mary and their child support costs for their 9-year-old daughter – jump to this if you want a more concrete explanation! If we use the Basic Child Support Formula as provided by the Australian Government’s Guides to Policy, child support is calculated as follows:
1. Identify the child support income for each parent
Start by determining the child support income for each parent. You calculate this by looking at a parent’s taxable income and subtracting the amount each parent would need to support themselves individually.
2. Calculate the combined child support incomes for a total child support income
Add both parent’s child support incomes together for a total.
3. Calculate each parent’s income percentage
Divide each parent’s child support income by the total child support income to get their income percentage.
4. Determine each parent’s percentage of care
This is the amount of time each parent spends caring for the child which influences the support calculation, with more significant care responsibilities potentially reducing the financial obligation.
- Below regular care: 0% to 13% of the time is equal to 0 to 51 nights a year or 0 to less than 2 nights fortnightly.
- Regular care: 14% to 34% of the time is equal to 52 to 127 nights a year or 2 to 4 nights a fortnight.
- Shared care: 35% to 64% of the time is equal to 128 to 237 nights a year or 5 to 9 nights a fortnight.
- Primary care: 65% to 86% of the time is equal to 238 to 313 nights a year or 10 to 12 nights a fortnight.
- More than primary care: 87% to 100% of the time is equal to more than 313 nights a year.
5. Determine the cost percentage
Based on the care percentage, use the chart to identify the extent to which each parent contributes to the child’s costs through direct care.
| Care percentage | Equal to number of nights a year | Equal to number of nights a fortnight | Care level | Cost percentage |
| 0-13% | 0-51 | 1 | Less than regular care | 0% |
| 14-34% | 52-127 | 2-4 | Regular care | 24% |
| 35-47% | 128-175 | 5-6 | Shared care | 25% plus 2% for every percentage point over 35% of care |
| 48-52% | 176-189 | 7 | Shared care | 50% |
| 53-65% | 190-237 | 8-9 | Shared care | 51% plus 2% for every percentage point over 53% of care |
| 66-86% | 238-313 | 10-12 | Primary care | 76% |
| 87-100% | 314-365 | 13-14 | More than primary care | 100% |
6. Calculate each parent’s child support percentage
This step involves subtracting the cost percentage from the income percentage for each parent, to calculate the child support percentage. This determines who pays and who receives child support.
If the child support percentage is negative, this parent will receive child support.
If the child support percentage is positive, this parent will pay child support.
There may be different arrangements for different children, therefore there may be different support percentages for each child.
*Steps 7 and 8 use only the positive child support percentage.
7. Work out the cost of each child
Work out the cost of each child based on the parents’ total combined child support income and by using the charts below:
Children aged 12 and under
| Parents combined child support income | Cost of 1 child | Cost of 2 children | Cost of 3 or more children |
| $0 to $44,762 | 17c for each $1 | 24c for each $1 | 27c for each $1 |
| $44,762 to $89,523 | $7,610 plus 15c for each $1 over $44,762 | $10,743 plus 23c for each $1 over $44,762 | $12,086 plus 26c for each $1 over $44,762 |
| $89,523 to $134,285 | $14,324 plus 12c for each $1 over $89,523 | $21,038 plus 20c for each $1 over $89,523 | $23,724 plus 25c for each $1 over $89,523 |
| $134,285 to $179,046 | $19,695 plus 10c for each $1 over $134,285 | $29,990 plus 18c for each $1 over $134,285 | $34,915 plus 24c for each $1 over $134,285 |
| $179,046 to $223,808 | $24,171 plus 7c for each $1 over $179,046 | $38,047 plus 10c for each $1 over $179,046 | $45,658 plus 18c for each $1 over $179,046 |
Income over $223,808 Costs don’t go up past this cap | $27,304 | $42,523 | $53,715 |
Children aged 13 or older
| Combined child support income for one year | Cost of 1 child | Cost of 2 children | Cost of 3 or more children |
| $0 to $44,762 | 23c for each $1 | 29c for each $1 | 32c for each $1 |
| $44,763 to $89,523 | $10,295 plus 22c for each $1 over $44,762 | $12,981 plus 28c for each $1 over $44,762 | $14,324 plus 31c for each $1 over $44,762 |
| $89,524 to $134,285 | $20,142 plus 12c for each $1 over $89,523 | $25,514 plus 25c for each $1 over $89,523 | $28,200 plus 30c for each $1 over $89,523 |
| $134,286 to $179,046 | $25,513 plus 10c for each $1 over $134,285 | $36,705 plus 20c for each $1 over $134,285 | $41,629 plus 29c for each $1 over $134,285 |
| $179,047 to $223,808 | $29,989 plus 9c for each $1 over $179,046 | $45,657 plus 13c for each $1 over $179,046 | $54,610 plus 20c for each $1 over $179,046 |
Income over $223,808 Costs don’t go up past this cap | $34,018 | $51,476 | $63,562 |
Children of mixed ages
| Combined Child Support income for one year | Cost of 2 children | Cost of 3 or more children |
| $0 to $44,762 | 26.5c for each $1 | 29.5c for each $1 |
| $44,762 to $89,523 | $11,862 plus 25.5c for each $1 over $44,762 | $13,205 plus 28.5c for each $1 over $44,762 |
| $89,523 to $134,285 | $23,276 plus 22.5c for each $1 over $89,523 | $25,962 plus 27.5c for each $1 over $89,523 |
| $134,285 to $179,046 | $33,347 plus 19c for each $1 over $134,285 | $38,272 plus 26.5c for each $1 over $134,285 |
| $179,046 to $223,808 | $41,852 plus 11.5c for each $1 over $179,046 | $50,134 plus 19c for each $1 over $179,046 |
Income over $223,808 Costs don’t go up past this cap | $47,000 | $58,639 |
8. Calculate child support amount
Multiply the positive child support percentage by the cost of the child to determine the annual rate of child support that will be paid.
These steps are designed to ensure that child support payments are equitable and reflect the financial capabilities of each parent, the needs of the child, and the practicalities of the care arrangements.
Example
Now, let’s look at an example.
Bob and Mary are calculating their child support payments. Bob makes $99,841 per year, and Mary makes $59,841. Now let’s go through the formula step by step.
Identify the child support income for each parent.
The self-support amount is defined as taxable income minus one third of the MTAWE (Male Total Average Weekly Earnings). The self-support amount will be the same for both parents. In 2025, the MTAWE is $89,523, meaning the self-support amount is $89,523 / 3 = $29,841.
| Bob | Mary | |
|---|---|---|
| Taxable Income | $99,841 | $59,841 |
| Self-support amount | $29,841 | $29,841 |
| Child support income | $70,000 ($99,841 – $29,841) | $30,000 ($59,841 – $29,841) |
Bob’s child support income is $70,000 and Mary’s is $30,000.
Calculate the combined child support incomes.
$70,000 + $30,000 = $100,000
Calculate each parent’s income percentage.
Bob: ($70,000 / $100,000) x 100 = 70%
Mary: ($30,000 / $100,000) x 100 = 30%
Determine each parent’s percentage of care.
Bob cares for the child 3 nights each fortnight, while Mary cares for the child the remaining 11 nights. Bob is a regular carer, and Mary is the primary carer.
Determine the cost percentage.
Using the standard cost percentage table, Bob’s cost percentage is 24% and Mary’s is 76%.
Calculate each parent’s child support percentage.
Bob: 70% – 24% = 46%
Mary: 30% – 76% = -46%
Since Mary’s child support percentage is negative, she will receive child support.
Work out the cost of each child.
Bob and Mary have one child aged 9. With a combined child support income of exactly $100,000, they fall within the $89,524 to $134,285 bracket. The cost calculation is $14,324 plus 12 cents for each dollar their combined child support income exceeds $89,523.
Calculation:
$100,000 – $89,523 = $10,477
$10,477 x $0.12 = $1,257.24
$14,324 + $1,257.24 = $15,581 (rounded)
The annual cost of their child is $15,581.
Calculate child support amount.
Bob’s payment is calculated as follows:
$15,581 x 46% = $7,167 annually
This means Bob must pay $7,167 per year in child support to Mary, approximately $137.83 per week.
For the latest details on minimum and maximum child support payments and specific conditions, parents should directly refer to Services Australia for accurate and up-to-date guidelines.
Looking to Understand Child Support Better?
Daykin Family Law offers specialised guidance to parents seeking to establish, adjust, or understand child support agreements. Our team of child support lawyers is dedicated to ensuring that your child support arrangements are appropriate, compliant, and structured with the best interests of your child at heart. For personalised advice that aligns with the highest standards of Australian family law, contact Daykin Family Law today. Let us help you secure a stable financial future for your children.
Services Australia Child Support Number
For questions about child support, the Services Australia Child Support Enquiry Line is available to assist. By calling 131 272, parents can access support for a range of matters, including:
- Applying for child support
- Registering for child support collection
- Understanding child support calculations
- Resolving issues related to child support payments
This helpline is a valuable resource for navigating the child support system and ensuring that obligations are met fairly and efficiently.
