Key takeaways
Child support in Ontario is more formula-driven than most people expect. It is calculated under the Federal Child Support Guidelines, which use the paying parent's income and the number of children to set a base amount — so the outcome is fairly predictable once income is known.
There are two parts. First, the table amount: a base monthly figure determined by the payor's gross annual income and the number of children, taken from the government's Child Support Table Look-up. Second, section 7 expenses: special or extraordinary costs — such as childcare, health and dental expenses, and certain activities — which are shared between the parents in proportion to their incomes, on top of the table amount.
It can. Where each parent has the child at least 40% of the time (shared parenting), the calculation is adjusted to reflect both parents' incomes and the higher costs of maintaining two homes. Split parenting (each parent has primary care of different children) is also handled differently.
It is based on the Federal Child Support Guidelines — primarily the payor gross annual income and the number of children. The government online Child Support Table Look-up provides the base monthly amount.
Special or extraordinary expenses — such as childcare, medical and dental costs, and certain activities — shared between parents in proportion to their incomes, in addition to the base table amount.
It can. Where each parent has the child at least 40% of the time (shared parenting), the calculation is adjusted to reflect both parents incomes and the increased costs of shared care.
This article is general information about Ontario family law and is not legal advice. For advice on your situation, contact Tailor Law.