Change of assessment: the 10 reasons
The standard formula treats every family the same way. When it produces an unfair result because of unusual circumstances, either parent can apply for a change of assessment — but only on one of ten grounds set out in the legislation. "It feels like too much" is not one of them.
The ten reasons
| # | Ground |
|---|---|
| 1 | High costs of spending time with, or communicating with, the child |
| 2 | The child has special needs |
| 3 | High costs of caring for, educating or training the child in the way both parents intended |
| 4 | The child's own income, earning capacity, property or financial resources |
| 5 | Money, goods or property already received for the child's benefit |
| 6 | High childcare costs for a child under 12 |
| 7 | Necessary expenses in supporting yourself |
| 8 | A parent's income, property, financial resources or earning capacity |
| 9 | A parent's legal duty to maintain another person |
| 10 | Additional income earned to re-establish after separation |
Reason 8 is the one people mean
By far the most used ground is reason 8 — that a parent's real financial capacity isn't reflected in their taxable income. This covers company and trust structures where income is retained rather than drawn, deliberate underemployment, fringe benefits not otherwise captured, and significant assets generating little assessable income. It's also the ground that requires the most evidence: bank statements, company accounts, trust distributions and business records rather than assertions.
Reason 3 and private school fees
Private school fees are a common trigger, but the wording matters: the costs must be incurred in the way both parents intended. Evidence that both parents enrolled the child, discussed the school, or paid fees together historically is what makes this ground work. One parent unilaterally enrolling a child in an expensive school after separation generally does not.
How the process runs
Applications go to Services Australia, not a court. The other parent is notified and given the chance to respond, a senior case officer reviews both submissions, and a decision is issued — usually within a few months. The decision can increase or decrease the assessment, and it can be backdated up to 18 months. If you're unhappy with the outcome, you can object, and then apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal.
Two things worth knowing before applying
First, it cuts both ways. Applying puts both parents' finances under scrutiny, and it isn't unusual for an applicant to end up worse off after the other parent's response is considered. Second, the threshold is genuinely high: the decision maker must be satisfied the standard formula produces an unjust and inequitable result in the special circumstances of the case. Ordinary financial pressure that most separated parents experience is unlikely to clear it.
Estimate your child support →This is general information about how the child support system works, not legal or financial advice. For advice about your own circumstances, speak to Services Australia or a family lawyer.