Calculating - Child Support
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CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES
- In general calculating the amount of child support that is payable is simple. The Federal Guidelines have tables that tell us what amount of child support the access parent should pay each month according to their annual gross income and the number of the children.
CALCULATING CHILD SUPPORT
- Calculating child support though is not always straight forward as many other factors need to be considered in each case. For instance:
- If the access parent has the children in their care at least 40% of the time then the access parent’s increased costs to care for the children needs to be considered.
- The same consideration would apply in cases where the parents share equal custody.
- Adjustments to the guideline formula may be necessary for those who earn far more than the average person or for low income earners who establish undue hardship.
- Self-employment income may require inappropriate deductions or expenses to be added back into the payor parent’s income to calculate the monthly child support payable.
- Such things as employment commissions and bonuses need to also be taken into consideration to arrive at the payor parent’s annual gross income for purposes of calculating the amount of child support payable.
- Special or extraordinary expenses of the children such as child care costs, hockey, gymnastics and college or university expenses may need to be determined which are additional costs to the basic monthly child support that is payable.
- Common sense dictates that as the children grow and their needs change that child support payments may need to be adjusted.
Get help with calculating child support
LEGAL AID ONTARIO
If you qualify for legal aid you could be issued a legal aid certificate for a separation agreement or a certificate for mediation. To apply for legal aid call 1-800-668-8258.
Toronto
- 164 Redgrave Dr
- Toronto, ON M9R 3V7
- Tel: 416-278-2400
- aloelaw@ymail.com
Parry Sound
- P.O. Box 215
- Parry Sound, ON P2A 2X3
- Tel: 705-346-2563 (aloe)
- aloelaw@ymail.com