If parents cannot agree how much child support should be paid, it will be decided by the court using the Federal Child Support Guidelines. A standardized set of guidelines and tables calculate the amount of support that a paying parent should contribute towards their children upon separation or divorce. The guidelines and tables are applied when an application for support is made. These guidelines and tables give parents who have had children in any type of situation or relationship the same opportunity for support.
The Child Support Guidelines consider three main factors:
- the annual income of the paying parent;
- the number of children eligible for child support; and
- the province or territory where the paying parent lives.
Parents receiving child support payments will not have their payments taxed and the parent paying child support will not be able to use the money they have paid as a tax deduction if the agreement was made after May 1, 1997.
You can visit the Government of Canada's website for more information.