What is Child Support?
Child support refers to periodic payments made by one parent to the parent who the child resides with, following the end of a marriage or any other relationship. The child support payments are based on child’s best interest and should benefit from both parents’ financial abilities to support them and are generally non-negotiable.
What are the Factors Affecting Child Support?
There can be numerous factors affecting the amount of child support you are required to pay or receive, which is why we recommend the clients to meet with our lawyers to discuss in details what their situation entails. Below are some basic factors that may affect the amount of child support:
Child Custody Will Affect Child Support Payments
The amount of child support will be affected by your child custody arrangement. For instance, in case of shared child custody, a situation where a child lives at least 40 percent of the time with each parent, then the courts will consider a number of factors to determine child support, such as income of both parents. We strongly suggest that you meet with our Calgary Family Lawyers for more in-depth analysis of your child support payments and how we can prepare you for a better outcome.
Federal Child Support Guideline Amounts
There are three distinct factors that will affect child support payments:
- The number of children
- The age and any special needs of the child can strongly impact the amount you will be paying or receiving
- Number of dependent children of the paying spouse
- The province or territory where the paying parents live
- Living in the same or different province/country may affect the amount of child support payments
- The paying parents annual income before taxes
- Typically, the paying parent’s income will be needed but depending on the situation, both parents income may be considered
To lookup the estimated amount, please use the Department of Justice’ Child Support payment calculator.
What Will Child Support Cover?
Child support is meant to cover the living expenses of the child. This also includes special expenses or section 7 expenses, such as:
- Child care expenses
- Education costs including post-secondary tuition fees
- Extracurricular costs
- Dental and medical expenses for the child
The special expenses are usually divided based on the proportionate income of the parents. Also note such expenses have to be reasonable in relation to the parent’s financial circumstances and the child’s needs.
How Long Does Child Support Last For?
In most cases, child support lasts until the child reaches the age of majority, which is 18 years in Alberta. The child support may continue after 18 years of age, if the child has any illness, disability or is enrolled in a post-secondary institution. For more information please refer to the Alberta Government’s General Child Support Information Guide.
Our Child Support Lawyers can Help!
Paying child support can be complex and the calculations for each individual varies. Come see your Calgary Child support lawyers for more in depth analysis of your case and how we can reduce your financial problem. Please call us at (403) 476 – 2011 now or book a consultation online.
The length of the property division process can vary depending on the circumstances. It could take a few months if there is an agreement or several years if there is no agreement but resort to a trial.
