610 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia

Child Support

When children are involved, a separation or divorce carries with it long-term consequences.

Kimberly Hunter, Director

These include determining how the costs of their living expenses and education will be shared, usually until they turn 18 years of age or complete their secondary school education. Even the most amicable relationship breakdowns can become challenging when it comes to negotiating this financial decision.

Child Support

When children are involved, a separation or divorce carries with it long-term consequences. These include determining how the costs of their living expenses and education will be shared, usually until they turn 18 years of age or complete their secondary school education. Even the most amicable relationship breakdowns can become challenging when it comes to negotiating this financial decision.

There are two types of child support payments:

Periodic child support: Regular cash payments, calculated using a formula based on your and your ex-partner’s specific financial and care arrangements, or as agreed between you both.

Non-periodic child support: Payments for costs that include childcare and/or private school fees, private health insurance, medical, dental and orthodontic costs, school uniforms, school books and materials, and any other expense associated with the child.


Assessing Your Situation

At Clancy & Triado our accredited family lawyers will discuss your situation and provide objective advice on your obligation to pay, or your entitlement to receive periodic and non-periodic child support. We can also advise you on the terms of a private agreement on child support, known as a "Binding Child Support Agreement."

We can assess whether your Child Support Agreement should be provide for costs such as travel to enable your children to spend time with both parents, or costs associated with their health or any special needs.


Formalising Your Agreement

Once you and your former partner have agreed on a child support arrangement, your Clancy & Triado family lawyer will prepare a child support agreement to document these financial arrangements and make them legally binding.

Moving Forward

Over time, it’s understandable that your children’s circumstances may change. Clancy & Triado can help you request a change of periodic child support assessment from the child support section of the Department of Human Services. Additionally we can help you appeal a decision of the Registrar of Child Support, and if need be, appeal the decision of the Registrar to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal.

Should it become necessary, your Clancy & Triado family lawyer can enforce the collection of child support and advise you about international child support entitlements and obligations when one parent is overseas.

Ready to Take Steps Towards Your Future? Call us on 03 9813 1111 or email your details.

Our Founder

In 1976, Patricia Clancy was building up her legal practice when Gough Whitlam's attorney-general Lionel Murphy changed the law.

It also changed her life.

Her firm Clancy and Triado went on to become one of the most prominent in the state handling divorce - notably for female clients - and custody cases.

Later, Clancy was awarded an Order of Australia for services to law, particularly family law.

The Whitlam period "was a very exciting time. Things a lot of people had objected to were so suddenly remedied at the stroke of a pen."

The legal changes fundamentally changed people's lives for the better, particularly women and children, she says.

"We will never go back to the appalling situation that existed before the act, whereby people were forced to stay in dreadful marriages".

Patricia Clancy AM, Founder
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We Tell Your Story

We listen to your story and advocate for your best interests. Our lawyers are committed to supporting you to achieve the best possible outcome in your family law settlement.

We view Court as the last resort, not a first resort.

We succeed in resolving approximately 95% of our cases before court proceedings are issued, saving our clients unnecessary stress, cost and time.

Your first meeting carries no obligation to proceed.