Change of circumstances

What to tell us

It’s important you tell us as soon as possible if your circumstances change.

If your contact details change

You must tell us if you change any of the following:

• postal address
• phone number
• email address.

We have online guides to help you. You can read either one or both of the following online guides about updating your details:

• updating your contact details using your online account
• advising of name change using your online account.

If your care arrangements change

We consider the percentage of care you provide as part of your child support assessment.

If the way you share care for your child changes, you need to tell us within 28 days. If you don’t, we may only be able to update your child support payments from the date you tell us.

If your bank details change

If we pay child support into your bank account, tell us if you change or update any of these:

• your account name
• your account number
• your BSB number.

If your income changes

You need to tell us about any changes to your income when they happen. This includes if you claim an income support payment, like JobSeeker Payment.

Generally, we can’t backdate income changes, so it’s important you tell us as soon as you can.

If your income has gone down since your last assessment, you should tell us. We can use an estimate of your current income in your assessment.

Only you can make an estimate. If you choose to make an estimate it’s important you do this as soon as you can. We can only use your estimate from the day you tell us.

If we’re already using your estimate of income, and your income changes, you’ll need to give us a new estimate.

If you earn extra income after you separate, you can ask us to exclude it from your child support assessment. For example, if you get a second job.

To apply to exclude income, complete the Application for Post Separation Income to be Excluded form.

The easiest way to send this to us is online.

To upload the form online, you need a Child Support online account linked to myGov. If you don’t have a myGov account or a Child Support online account you’ll need to create them.

Sign in to myGov

You can also:

• use the Express Plus Child Support mobile app
• send it by post or fax.

If you’re a non-parent carer, you won’t need to tell us about income changes.

If your relationship changes

You and the other parent get back together

It’s important you tell us if you and the other parent get back together. We can suspend your child support assessment for up to 6 months.

We’ll end the suspension once you’ve been together for 6 months. This means your child support case will end. The receiving parent can ask us to end the case sooner. We may do this when you’ve met the reasons for ending an assessment and we can accept the relevant application or agreement.

You should also tell us if you and the other parent have another child together.

Read more about ending a child support assessment.

You and the other parent separate again

If you separate during the 6 month suspension period, either of you can ask us to restart child support. Payments will start from your new separation date.

If you separate after 6 months, you’ll need to apply for a new child support assessment.

You should do this within 13 weeks of separating. If not, you’ll only get the base rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A.

You have a child with someone else

You need to tell us if you have a child with a new partner. Dependent children other than the children in your child support assessment may be taken into account.

Read about assessments for parents with second families.

If you change or correct your name

It’s important to tell us if you, the other parent, or your child change or correct your legal name.

Find out more about updating your name or title with Child Support.

If you change or correct your gender

You can record gender with Child Support as male, female or non-binary. You don’t have to update your gender details. It's your choice. It doesn’t affect the way child support is paid or received.

Find out more about updating your gender details with Child Support.

If you have other changes

You may also need to tell us if any of the following happen:

• your child is going to turn 18 this year and will still be in full time secondary school
• someone else legally adopts your child
• your child marries or starts to live with their partner
• you, the other parent or your children move overseas
• your child, or the other parent or carer dies.

If you have a child support agreement

You must tell us about any changes to the conditions of either your:

• binding child support agreement
• limited child support agreement.

Your agreement may mean that some changes won’t affect your child support. You should still let us know if your income or care arrangements change. We may use this information when we calculate your notional assessment.

You must also tell us about any changes to your care arrangements as soon as you can.

If you have an Australian court order or overseas maintenance liability

Your court order or overseas maintenance liability may mean that some changes to your circumstances won’t affect your child support.

Call us on the Child Support Enquiry Line to talk about your options. You may need to seek legal advice about how to change it.

Why you should tell us

You must tell us when your circumstances change. If you don’t, one or more of the following could happen:

• you could be paid the wrong amount of child support
• you could get an overpayment and have to pay it back
• you could miss important information from us
• you could get behind with your payments and build up a debt.

Keeping your details up to date will also limit how often we need to contact you.

How to tell us

If your Child Support online account is linked to myGov you can tell us about changes to your circumstances online.

Sign in to myGov

You can also tell us by either:

• using the Express Plus Child Support mobile app
• calling us on the Child Support enquiry line.

Read more about what you can do using self service.

We have Child Support online guides to help you update your details and manage your payments.