The Ex-Files: My ex is trying to get me to increase child support payments
Question: My former partner and I are in a dispute about child support.
We share the care of our 7-year-old daughter. My former partner wants to send her to a private boarding school and she also wants me to pay for our daughter’s horse, including the grazing and other ongoing expenses.
She has applied for an administrative review for child support to increase the amount to cover these expenses. Can she do this?
I am finding the whole process draining, particularly as I have other issues I am trying to deal with at the moment. I am due to go into a treatment centre for substance abuse for three months. During this time, I will be taking unpaid leave and will have no income. Do I still need to pay child support when I don’t have an income?
Answer: It sounds as though you are currently paying child support pursuant to a formula assessment.
The IRD’s formula assessment looks at the taxable income of both parents and subtracts standard amounts for personal living costs. It then compares the income with the quantity of care each parent provides, based on the number of nights the child is in each person’s care.
To continue reading the answer and learn what an administrative review involves, and how a parent might apply and qualify for a child support exemption, click this link for the full article on the NZ Herald website.
