Te nui ka utua atu e koe, ka whiwhi rānei pea What you might pay or receive

When a person applies for child support with a formula assessment, we work out how much is payable. The formula uses both parents' taxable income, but first deducts:

• a living allowance
• any dependent child allowance for children in a parent's care
• any multi-group allowance where a parent is paying or receiving child support in other relationships.

It also takes into account the care each parent provides for the child and the costs of raising them, as covered in the child support expenditure tables.

Child support expenditure tables

We'll also consider any shared care of a child that qualifies as recognised care.

Sharing care of a child or children

Work out how many nights per year a child is in my care

We work out how much child support should be paid each year and divide this into monthly amounts. Then, we'll advise:

• the liable parent how much they need to pay
• the receiving carer how much they're entitled to get.

You can calculate the amount you may pay or receive with our child support liability or entitlement calculator.

Work out how much child support I'll pay or receive

Minimum amounts for child support

If the liable parent's assessed amount goes below our minimum rate of child support, they'll pay the minimum rate instead. If they're paying child support for more than one child and are paying the minimum amount, the liable parent's payment will be divided between all of the children.

You can find the current minimum rate of child support in our annual rates.

Child support annual rates