Minimum and fixed annual rates
The formula can produce a very small number, or zero, when a parent's income is low. Two separate rules override that result — and which one applies makes a difference of more than three times the annual amount.
The minimum annual rate: $551 in 2026
Where the formula produces less than the minimum annual rate, the minimum applies instead. For 2026 that is $551 per child support case per year — roughly $10.60 a week — regardless of how many children are in that case. A parent with three children in one case pays the same minimum as a parent with one.
The minimum rate doesn't apply to a parent who has at least regular care (35% or more) of the child, and it is capped where a parent has multiple cases. Both figures are indexed each January.
The fixed annual rate: $1,825 in 2026
The fixed rate is higher, and it targets a different situation: a parent whose taxable income is very low but who is not receiving an income support payment. It applies per child, up to three children, so a parent with two children can be assessed at $3,650 a year.
The logic is that someone with a near-zero declared income who isn't on Centrelink payments probably has resources the tax return doesn't show. The fixed rate doesn't apply where the parent receives an income support payment, or where they have at least 35% care of the child.
The difference matters
| Minimum rate | Fixed rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 amount | $551 | $1,825 |
| Charged per | Case | Child (max 3) |
| On income support | Applies | Does not apply |
| 35%+ care | Does not apply | Does not apply |
Getting a rate reduced
A parent assessed at the fixed rate can apply to have it reduced to the minimum rate, or to nil, where paying it would cause hardship — for example where their actual income genuinely is negligible. Services Australia can also reduce the minimum rate to nil in limited circumstances, such as where a parent is in prison or in a psychiatric institution with no capacity to pay.
These reductions are not automatic. They require an application, and the parent has to substantiate their actual financial position.
Estimate your child support →This is general information about how the child support system works, not legal or financial advice. For advice about your own circumstances, speak to Services Australia or a family lawyer.