Can I get Child Maintenance for Adult Children over 18 Years

What happens with a Child who is part financially dependent and older than 18 years 

Child Maintenance is financial support for a dependent Child over 18 years of age.

Adult Child Maintenance can be payable if a Child over 18:

• is studying – completing their secondary or tertiary education (including secondary school, TAFE, university, apprenticeship);

• has a physical or mental disability; or

• has a serious illness.

 

 

If a Child will turn 18 while they are completing their final year of secondary schooling, the parent who is receiving Child Support payments for that Child, can make an application to the Child Support Agency to extend the Child Support Assessment until the end of the school year.

That application must be made before the child turns 18.

An application for Adult Child Maintenance can be brought by a parent or the adult child. Adult Child Maintenance is paid either to:

• the parent the Adult Child is living with;

• the Adult Child.

Child Support: What else you need to know about

Read about when payment of Child Support will stop.

There is a difference between Child Support and Child Maintenance. If you don’t know what the difference is, you can read more in our information sheet What is Child Support and Child Maintenance.

If you need to know who must pay Child Support, you can read more in our information sheet Who is liable to pay Child Support.

We also have a separate information sheet answering the question Does Child Support have to be paid.

Whether you arrange to have child support paid privately or collected through the Child Support Agency, you will need to know what to do to arrange for Child Support payments to start. This is explained in our information sheet What is the procedure & steps involved for Child Support payments.

How much Child Support should be paid is commonly an issue between parents. There is a method the Child Support Agency use to assess Child Support which is explained in our information sheet How is Child Support Calculated.

If you do not agree with the decision made by the Child Support Agency when they assessed the amount of Child Support to be paid then you should read the information sheet What if I disagree with a Child Support Agency Decision.

Some parents reach agreement about how much child support should be paid. there are different types of private agreements you can enter into. Read more in the following information sheets:

• What is a Child Support Agreement
• What are Binding Child Support Agreements
• What are Limited Child Support Agreements
• The law for Child Support Agreements made before 1 July 2008

 

  Connect with us on Facebook