How voluntary agreements work

With a voluntary agreement, you and the other parent agree on a child support amount and register it with us, and we collect payments and pass them on for you.

You can change the amount if both parents agree, but you need to send in a new form each time.

How to set one up

Both parents agree on how much child support should be – at least $10 a week or $520 a year.

Then you fill out a form to register the agreement with us. If you meet the requirements, we’ll send each of you a letter saying we’ve accepted your registration. We’ll then manage the payments for you, including following up when payments are overdue.

Who can use them

To register a voluntary agreement with us, both parents or carers need to be New Zealand citizens or for New Zealand to be their main home.

It's good to use a voluntary agreement if you:

• can agree on who should pay and how much
• want us to collect and pass on payments
• want us to follow up on missed payments.

No voluntary agreement for Unsupported Child’s Benefit

If you're getting the Unsupported Child's Benefit (UCB), you need to apply for a formula assessment for that child or children. The child support paid will go back to the government to cover the benefit.

If you already have a voluntary agreement for a child and you start getting the UCB for them, the voluntary agreement can stay in place as long as the amount is the same or higher than it would be through a formula assessment.

The government keeps the amount of UCB you were paid. Any child support above that amount is paid to you.

Formula assessments

Working out how much to pay

If you'd like help agreeing on an amount, you can use our child support payment calculator to work out what you could pay or receive under a formula assessment.

Child support payment calculator

Making payments

Once we accept a registration, we send out notices to each parent or carer showing who should pay and how much.

Payments are due to us by the 20th of the following month, then to the receiving carer by the 23rd of the same month.

Payment cycles and due dates
Making payments - paying parents

Ending voluntary agreements

A voluntary agreement ends when:

• you, the other parent or the child no longer qualify for child support
• the receiving carer cancels the agreement
• the agreement expires
• either person applies for a formula assessment.

Check the requirements for getting or cancelling child support.

Can you get child support?
Cancelling child support

If your arrangement stops working

If your voluntary agreement is not working out, either parent can apply for a formula assessment at any time. This will automatically cancel the voluntary agreement.

Or, you can cancel your voluntary agreement and arrange your own payments privately, without us being involved. This is the most flexible option for child support.

Get in touch as soon as possible to talk about your options.

Formula assessment
Private agreement