I am in a shared parenting situation. How will this affect child support?
Parenting arrangements are significant when calculating child support. In a shared parenting situation (the children spend 50% of their time with each parent), each shared child counts as a child in both household. Using the CSG, you would calculate the Table amount for both parents. The difference between the two amounts would be the child support payment paid to the parent with the lesser income. This amount is often called the “set-off” amount.
Last reviewed: October 2015
One of my children lives with me and the other with his father. How does this affect child support?
This arrangement is known as “split parenting”. Using the CSG, calculate the payment amount that one parent owes the other, based on the number of children in that parent’s care. Also calculate the support amount for the other parent. The difference between the two amounts is the child support to be paid to the parent with the lesser income.
Last reviewed: October 2015
I am a step-parent. Do I have to pay child support?
If an adult has acted like a parent (stood in the place of a parent), then that adult may have to pay child support. A judge has discretion to decide if a step-parent or other adult is obligated to pay child support. The law states that the obligation of the actual parent outweighs the obligations of someone standing in the place of a parent. This means that if the judge decides that someone is standing in the place of a parent, the judge can order that person to pay child support as well as the parent, but it could be an amount less than that which is set out in the CSG.
Last reviewed: October 2015
How do I know if I am standing in the place of a parent?
If you were in a relationship of some permanence with the child’s parent, then a judge would ask if you demonstrated a settled intention to treat the child as your own child. Some factors that a judge would consider include:
- the age of the child;
- how long did you have a relationship with the child;
- does the child think of you as their parent;
- were you involved in the child’s care, discipline, education, or recreational activities;
- have you kept in touch with the child since separation;
- did you provide direct or indirect financial support for the child;
- did you think about becoming a guardian, adopting the child or changing the child’s surname to yours; and
- what kind of a relationship does the child have with any of the other parents.
Last reviewed: October 2015
