The CSA will suspend child support for six months if parents decide to get back together. It will be as though the child support assessment has ended. No child support will be payable, unless there are arrears, and no new outstanding payments will accumulate.
If you are the receiving parent, you can choose to end the assessment earlier in the reconciliation if you wish. If you are still together after six months, the CSA will automatically end the child support assessment.
If one of you has another child support assessment with someone else, the children who are living with you will be treated as relevant dependent children in that assessment.
If you are a Centrelink customer and have a child support assessment, you need to tell both the CSA and Centrelink. Centrelink will need to know your new income details and any other changes in your circumstances to reassess your family assistance and/or income support.
If you separate again If you separate again within six months and the receiving parent didn’t already choose to end the assessment, either parent can reinstate the assessment by simply telling the CSA that you have separated again. The paying parent will only start paying child support from the new date of separation.
If you get back together with your partner, your Family Tax Benefit Part A will be assessed on you and your partner’s income. Depending on your income, you may not be entitled to receive Family Tax Benefit Part B. Child support will not be collected and won’t affect your Family Tax Benefit Part A amount, unless you receive child support from another paying parent.
If you do not apply for a child support assessment or request an exemption from applying for a child support assessment, within 13 weeks, you will only receive the base rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A for your children from that relationship.
To suspend, end or reinstate your Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 ("the Act") call the CSA on 131 272.