Your Solicitors in Sydney’s Inner West
Contact
- Shop 1, 192-200 Parramatta Road. Stanmore NSW 2048
- Tel.: 02 9159 9026
- Mail : info@fletchlaw.com.au
©2021. Eyers Borowy Pty Ltd, Trading as Fletch Law. All Rights Reserved.
Petersham Child Support Lawyers
Do You Know Whether the Child Support Assessment You've Been Given Actually Reflects Your True Circumstances — or Your Ex's?
FletchLaw reviews assessments carefully and challenges them where they don’t reflect reality — because the formula doesn’t always get it right, and the difference can be significant. We serve Petersham and the Inner West, and your first conversation with us won’t cost you a cent.
4.9
Are You Facing Any of These Concerns Right Now?
Do you know how the child support formula actually works — and whether it's been applied correctly in your case?
The child support formula used by Services Australia takes into account each parent’s income, the percentage of care each provides, and the costs associated with raising children of different ages. It sounds straightforward — but the inputs to that formula are frequently disputed, incorrectly assessed, or based on information that one parent has provided without adequate verification. Getting the inputs right is the difference between a fair assessment and one that significantly disadvantages you.
Are you a recipient who believes your ex is understating their income — and that your children are receiving less than they should?
Income understatement is one of the most common issues in child support matters — particularly where the paying parent is self-employed, operates through a trust or company structure, or has significant discretion over how their income is recognised. There are legal mechanisms to address this, and we know how to use them effectively to make sure the assessment reflects what is actually being earned.
Are you a payor whose income has changed significantly — and are you still paying child support based on figures that no longer reflect reality?
Child support assessments are based on the income figures Services Australia holds for each parent — and those figures are not automatically updated when income changes. If your income has fallen significantly and your assessment hasn’t kept pace, you may be paying substantially more than the formula would produce on your current earnings. We advise on change of assessment applications and make sure the amount you pay reflects your actual circumstances.
Do you know how changes to parenting time affect the child support assessment — and whether your current arrangements are reflected correctly?
The percentage of care each parent provides is one of the key inputs into the child support formula — and it directly affects the amount payable. If the parenting arrangements have changed since the assessment was made, or if the care percentage being used doesn’t reflect the time actually spent with each parent, the assessment may be producing an incorrect result. We make sure parenting time and child support are properly aligned.
Is your ex refusing to pay — or paying irregularly — and do you know what enforcement options are available to you?
Child support is a legal obligation — and non-compliance has consequences. Services Australia has significant enforcement powers, including the ability to garnish wages, intercept tax refunds, and restrict passports. Where administrative enforcement hasn’t produced results, there are additional legal options available. We advise you on the most effective enforcement pathway for your specific situation and pursue it promptly.
Are you considering a private child support agreement — and do you know the difference between a limited agreement and a binding child support agreement?
Parents can choose to manage child support through a private agreement rather than a Services Australia assessment — but the type of agreement matters enormously. A limited agreement requires an existing assessment and can be terminated relatively easily. A binding child support agreement operates independently of the formula and requires independent legal advice before it can be validly executed. We explain both options clearly and advise on which is more appropriate for your circumstances.
Meet Simon Fletcher
Child support matters sit at the intersection of finance, parenting, and some of the most emotionally charged dynamics that separated families experience. The formula is supposed to produce a fair result — but the inputs to that formula are frequently wrong, and the difference between an accurate assessment and an inaccurate one can be substantial. At FletchLaw, we make sure the assessment reflects reality.
Simon Fletcher has advised Petersham and Inner West clients on child support matters from both sides — recipients whose children are receiving less than they’re entitled to, and payors whose assessments don’t reflect their actual income or parenting arrangements. He brings the same careful, plain-English approach to every matter — cutting through the complexity of the formula, the Services Australia process, and any private agreement considerations to give you a clear picture of where you stand and what can be done.
Your first conversation with Simon won’t cost you a cent. No obligation, no pressure — just honest, experienced advice about your child support situation and the options available to you.
Book your free telephone consultation now.
How We Can Help You Through This
We'll review your current child support assessment carefully and advise you honestly on whether the inputs — income, care percentage, and special circumstances — accurately reflect your situation.
We'll investigate income understatement where we have reason to believe your ex's declared income doesn't reflect their actual earnings — particularly in self-employment, trust, or company income situations.
We'll advise on and manage change of assessment applications — whether you're seeking an increase because your ex's income has risen, or a reduction because your own circumstances have changed.
We'll make sure the care percentage used in your assessment accurately reflects the actual parenting time each parent provides — and pursue correction where it doesn't.
We'll advise on the full range of special circumstances that can be taken into account in a change of assessment — including high costs of contact, costs of supporting a new family, and significant financial resources not reflected in taxable income.
We'll advise on enforcement options where child support isn't being paid — identifying the most effective pathway through Services Australia's administrative enforcement powers or additional legal mechanisms where needed.
We'll prepare and advise on private child support agreements — both limited agreements and binding child support agreements — making sure the type and terms of any agreement properly serve your children's needs and your circumstances.
We'll advise on how child support interacts with your parenting arrangements — making sure the two are properly aligned and that changes to one are reflected appropriately in the other.
We'll be there throughout — clear, experienced, and completely focused on making sure your children receive the financial support they're entitled to, on terms that are fair to everyone involved.
The 3 Step FletchLaw Process
Book Your Free, No-Obligation Consultation
Call us and speak directly with Simon Fletcher. He'll listen carefully to your situation, review the key features of your current assessment, and give you an honest picture of whether it accurately reflects your circumstances — and what options are available if it doesn't. No cost, no pressure, no commitment.
We Investigate, Challenge, and Pursue the Right Outcome
Once you instruct us, we take care of the detail — reviewing income figures, gathering evidence, preparing change of assessment applications, advising on private agreements, and pursuing enforcement where needed. We handle the legal and administrative complexity so you can focus on your children and your life.
A Fair Assessment That Reflects Reality — and Stays That Way
With a correctly calculated child support assessment in place, your children receive what they're actually entitled to — and you pay or receive an amount that genuinely reflects the circumstances of both parents. We also advise on keeping the assessment current as circumstances change, so it never drifts out of alignment with reality again.
Take the First Step — Your Free Consultation Won't Cost You a Cent
Child support disputes are rarely just about money — they’re about fairness, about your children’s wellbeing, and about making sure the legal arrangements that govern their financial support actually reflect reality. Your initial consultation with Simon Fletcher is completely free. It’s a focused, confidential conversation built entirely around your situation. Here’s what you can expect:
- A warm, judgment-free conversation — a private space to explain your child support situation, share your concerns about the assessment, and get honest answers without any pressure to proceed
- Clarity on whether your assessment is correct — a plain-English explanation of how the formula works, what the key inputs are, and whether the figures being used in your assessment accurately reflect both parents’ circumstances
- An honest overview of your options — a clear picture of what change of assessment, private agreement, or enforcement options are available to you, and what each would involve in practice
- Practical, personalised guidance — advice built around your specific assessment, your parenting arrangements, and your financial circumstances — not a generic explanation of how child support works in theory
- The space to ask anything — whether it’s about income understatement, a change in parenting time, an assessment that hasn’t kept up with changed circumstances, or enforcement of an amount that isn’t being paid — this is your time
Ready to take the first step? Call us today to book your free consultation — we're here to help.
Tap to call directly from your phone
What to Expect When You Work with FletchLaw
Free initial consultation with no obligation
Speak with Simon, get honest advice about your assessment, and decide whether we’re the right fit — without spending a cent or committing to anything.
Transparent billing with no surprises
Every charge explained clearly before work begins. You’ll always know exactly what you’re paying for and why — with nothing added without your knowledge.
Direct access to Simon Fletcher throughout
You work with the principal solicitor from the first conversation to the final outcome — not passed between staff or left with someone unfamiliar with your matter.
Plain English at every stage
The child support formula and the change of assessment process explained clearly — so you always understand what’s happening and what your options are at each stage.
Experience on both sides of child support matters
We act for recipients and payors — bringing the same rigour and commitment to a fair, accurate outcome to both sides of the assessment equation.
Investigation of complex income situations
Self-employment, trusts, company structures, and discretionary income — we know where income is commonly understated and how to surface what the formula should actually be using.
Change of assessment expertise
We prepare and manage change of assessment applications carefully — making sure the grounds are properly established and the evidence supporting them is as strong as possible.
Private agreement advice and preparation
We advise on limited and binding child support agreements — explaining the difference clearly and making sure any private arrangement is properly structured and legally sound.
Enforcement advice and action
When child support isn’t being paid, we advise on the most effective enforcement pathway and pursue it promptly — because your children’s financial support shouldn’t depend on voluntary compliance.
A local Inner West firm that knows this community
We’re based in Stanmore, minutes from Petersham. We understand the Inner West, its families, and the particular financial pressures that child support disputes place on the people who live here.
From Petersham to FletchLaw in Minutes
FletchLaw is just 2.1 kilometres from the centre of Petersham — a six-minute drive along Parramatta Road. We’re not a distant city firm you have to travel to in a crisis. We’re your neighbours in the Inner West, part of the same streets, the same community, and the same daily life that Petersham families know well. When you need us, we’re close.
Serving the Petersham & Inner West Community
Petersham is one of the Inner West’s most distinctive and tightly-knit suburbs — a place where heritage streetscapes, a thriving village atmosphere, and a genuinely diverse community all come together. For families here, home isn’t just a property. It’s a neighbourhood, a school, a set of relationships built over years.
The Former Petersham Fire Station on Parramatta Road is one of the suburb's most recognisable landmarks. Its bold Victorian red brick and heritage bay doors have anchored this stretch of the community for well over a century — a reminder of the deep roots Petersham families have put down here.
All Saints Anglican Church stands as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the Inner West. Its ornate brickwork and commanding roofline have provided a point of quiet continuity for the Petersham community through generations of change.
Petersham Railway Station — with its elegant sandstone building and Victorian platform ironwork — has been connecting this suburb to the rest of Sydney since the nineteenth century. For many families, it's simply part of the daily rhythm of life here.
Other FletchLaw Services
Ready to Take the First Step?
Book your free, no-obligation consultation today and make sure the child support assessment governing your children’s financial future actually reflects reality.