Family Legal Advice Services
FAMILY LEGAL ADVICE SERVICES
Government funding is available for people on low incomes to help you settle disputes about how you’ll care for your children.
If you’re on a low income, you may be able to get some legal advice and help for free through our Family Legal Advice Service. A lawyer from the Family Legal Advice Service will help you understand:
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Your rights and responsibilities regarding your children.
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Your legal options regarding their care.
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Which Family Justice services, including the Family Court, are available to help and how.
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You can get this help from the Family Legal Advice Service any time before going to court. You can also get help to fill out the court forms if you are applying for a Parenting Order or responding to an application for an Order.
FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY
This table is an indication of whether you are eligible for funding. The table shows the most you can have earned to qualify. The maximum income varies with the number of dependants.
| NUMBER OF DEPENDANTS | MAXIMUM ANNUAL INCOME (BEFORE TAX AND ANY DEDUCTIONS) NZ$ | MAXIMUM FORTNIGHTLY INCOME (BEFORE TAX AND ANY DEDUCTIONS) NZ$ | MAXIMUM EARNINGS OVER PAST 3 MONTHS (BEFORE TAX AND ANY DEDUCTIONS) NZ$ |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0 (YOU HAVE NO DEPENDANTS) |
$23,326.00 |
$897.15 |
$5831.5 |
|
1 (PARTNER OR CHILD) |
$36,940.00 |
$1420.77 |
$9235 |
|
2 (PARTNER AND/OR CHILDREN) |
$53,119.00 |
$2043.04 |
$13,279.25 |
|
3 (PARTNER AND/OR CHILDREN) |
$60,363.00 |
$2321.65 |
$15,090.75 |
|
4 (PARTNER AND/OR CHILDREN) |
$67,453.00 |
$2594.35 |
$16,863.25 |
|
5 (PARTNER AND/OR CHILDREN) |
$75,404.00 |
$2900.15 |
$18,851.00 |
|
6 OR MORE |
Add $6,976.00 for each extra dependant |
Add $268.31 for each extra dependant |
Add $1,744.00 for each extra dependant |
APPLY FOR FUNDING
To apply for funding, you need to:
Need Help?
You can send us a message using our contact form, use our live chat or you can call us if you have any questions