On 25 January 2010, the Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears) Regulations 2009 came into effect.
The regulations represent an attempt to deal with the repeated problems arising from the failure of estranged parents to pay the child support maintenance they have been ordered to pay and to deal with problems arising from the technicalities of administration of the child support maintenance payment system.
The new provisions allow the Child Support and Enforcement Commission to:
- Offset the liabilities of parents to pay each other child support maintenance;
- Recover arrears of payment of child support maintenance from the estates of deceased parents; and
- Offset overpayments of child support maintenance against a person’s liability to pay child support maintenance under a previous order.
The financial arrangements involved in child support can be complex and expert advice is essential. Contact us for assistance.