Basic formula

1
Work out each parent’s child support income

We calculate each parent’s child support income. This is a parent’s adjusted taxable income minus a self-support amount and any relevant dependant allowance. For more information about relevant dependant allowances, see child support assessments and second families.

A parent may be able to estimate their income. Read more about income used in calculating a child support assessment.

Income

2
Work out the parents’ combined income

We add both parents' incomes to work out a combined child support income.

Income

3
Work out each parent’s income percentage

We work out each parent’s income percentage by dividing each parent's income by their combined total.

Income

4
Work out each parent’s percentage of care

We calculate each parent's percentage of care.

Care

5
Work out each parent’s cost percentage

We work out each parent's cost percentage using the care and cost table.

Care

6
Work out each parent’s child support percentage

We subtract the cost percentage from the income percentage for each parent. We call this the child support percentage. The result will determine if a parent pays or receives child support.

If it’s a negative percentage, we assess that parent as the parent to receive child support. This is because their share of costs for the child is more than met by the amount of care they provide.

If it’s a positive percentage, we assess that parent as the parent to pay child support. This is because they’re not meeting their share of the costs for the child directly through care.

If you have different care arrangements for various children, you might have different child support percentages for each child.

We go on to steps 7 and 8 using only the positive child support percentage.

Child support percentage

7
Work out the costs of children

We work out the costs for each child based on the parents' combined total income using the costs of children table.

Costs of children

8
Work out the child support amount

We work out the total amount of child support payable by multiplying the positive child support percentage by the costs of the child. This final figure is the amount the paying parent needs to pay the other parent.

Child support to pay

Income over $184,015

Costs don’t go up past this cap

$0 to $36,803

23c for each $1

29c for each $1

32c for each $1

$36,804 to $73,606

$8,465 plus 22c for each $1 over $36,803

$10,673 plus 28c for each $1 over $36,803

$11,777 plus 31c for each $1 over $36,803

$73,607 to $110,409

$16,562 plus 12c for each $1 over $73,606

$20,978 plus 25c for each $1 over $73,606

$23,186 plus 30c for each $1 over $73,606

$110,410 to $147,212

$20,978 plus 10c for each $1 over $110,409

$30,179 plus 20c for each $1 over $110,409

$34,227 plus 29c for each $1 over $110,409

$147,213 to $184,015

$24,658 plus 9c for each $1 over $147,212

$37,540 plus 13c for each $1 over $147,212

$44,900 plus 20c for each $1 over $147,212

Income over $184,015

Costs don’t go up past this cap

$27,970

$42,324

$52,261

26.5c for each $1

29.5c for each $1

$9,753 plus 25.5c for each $1 over $36,803

$10,857 plus 28.5c for each $1 over $36,803

$19,138 plus 22.5c for each $1 over $73,606

$21,346 plus 27.5c for each $1 over $73,606

$27,419 plus 19c for each $1 over $110,409

$31,467 plus 26.5c for each $1 over $110,409

$34,412 plus 11.5c for each $1 over $147,212

$41,220 plus 19c for each $1 over $147,212

Income over $184,015

Costs don’t go up past this cap

$38,644

$48,213