From overpaying to being marginalized as caregivers, child support can feel deeply unfair to fathers. Often, it’s not just about the money but the frustration of paying large sums while seeing their children very little.
We spoke to Dr Lancaster from Child Support Australia to explore the key issues facing fathers.
Fathers Forced to Overpay
Fathers frequently pay more than they should, with child support systems based on income without considering realistic living costs after separation. “The standard income shares formula assumes fathers still live with the family, resulting in inflated payments,” Dr Lancaster explained.
These calculations ignore essential expenses like new housing (e.g. renting alone) or supporting a new family, often leaving fathers with minimal disposable income.
Despite contributing large sums, fathers are often stretched financially, while mothers typically receive the bulk of financial support. The system’s failure to account for actual costs of living burdens fathers, especially those trying to balance other responsibilities.
Related: Child Support Australia, Why is Child Support So Unfair to Fathers?
Lack of Flexibility in Payments
The child support system’s lack of flexibility further adds to fathers’ financial strain. Fathers who experience financial setbacks—such as job loss—often struggle to modify their payments. Rigid systems in the United States force fathers to continue making payments even when their financial circumstances change drastically.
Without the ability to adjust payments, many fathers feel trapped by obligations they cannot meet.
This lack of flexibility not only impacts the father’s financial situation but also affects their emotional well-being. Fathers are left unable to manage the rising costs of living or unexpected financial challenges, further driving their frustration with the child support system.
Bias in the System
Systemic bias within family courts leads mothers to frequently receive primary custody, pushing fathers into higher child support obligations. Dr Lancaster explains how courts often assume mothers should be the primary caregivers, reinforcing outdated stereotypes that fathers should act solely as financial providers. This results in fathers paying more, while being granted minimal time with their children.
“Judges often overlook the father’s ability to provide emotional and financial care directly,” Dr Lancaster observed.
Judges also factor in the ability of mothers to receive child support in custody decisions, disregarding opportunities for fathers to spend on their children. Fathers often feel they’re reduced to financial slaves rather than active parents.
Adverse Impacts on Children
The current system’s shortcomings also impact children. Dr Lancaster warns that children suffer emotionally when they don’t spend enough time with both parents. Fathers who are stretched financially may lack the resources to engage in meaningful activities with their children, further weakening the bond between father and child.
When a father’s role is primarily reduced to financial contributions, children can feel emotionally disconnected. Overburdening fathers financially while restricting their time with their children risks harming the long-term relationship between them.
A Call for Reform
Dr Lancaster argues that child support payments should align with the real costs of raising children post-separation, not simply the father’s income. “The system doesn’t reflect real expenses,” he says, suggesting that a reformed approach would better support both parents.
Aligning payments with regular living costs would allow fathers to maintain financial stability while continuing to contribute meaningfully to their children’s lives. Judges and mothers would be more inclined to let the father spend more time with his kids and shoulder his caregiving and financial duties simultaneously.
Reforming the system could help balance the financial and emotional needs of both parents and, most importantly, support healthier relationships between fathers and their children.
Dr Andrew Lancaster leads Child Support Australia, an advocacy and support group for fathers and mothers involved in Australia’s child support system. He explained that the Australian system is modelled on the income shares system adopted by many U.S. states. Parents in Australia face similar issues to their U.S. counterparts, though the Aussie system is run at a national level and automatically updates assessments based on annual income tax returns.