If you are staring down a child support number and wondering where it actually came from, you are not alone. The calculation is not arbitrary, but it is also not as simple as picking a percentage out of the air. This post walks through exactly how child support gets calculated in Alberta, step by step, so you know what to expect before you are sitting across from a lawyer or a judge.
The Two Sets of Guidelines
Alberta actually has two different sets of child support guidelines, and which one applies depends on your situation.
● The Federal Child Support Guidelines. Apply if you are married and going through, or have gone through, a divorce.
● The Alberta Child Support Guidelines. Apply to parents who are not divorcing, including unmarried parents, couples who are married but separated without a divorce underway, and in some cases non parents who have stood in place of a parent.
The good news is that both sets of guidelines use essentially the same approach, so in practice the amount owed tends to be similar either way. What matters most is making sure your situation is assessed under the correct one from the start.
Step One: The Table Amount
The starting point for every child support calculation is what is called the table amount. This base figure comes from standardized child support tables, and it is built from two inputs: the paying parent’s gross annual income, meaning income before tax, and the number of children being supported.
Gross income is generally taken from your tax return, though it can be adjusted in certain situations. If a parent is self employed, or if there is reason to believe income is being underreported or a parent is deliberately underemployed, a court can look past the number on paper and impute a higher income based on what that parent is actually capable of earning.
This table amount covers the day to day cost of raising a child. It does not yet account for anything extra, which is where the next step comes in.
Step Two: Special and Extraordinary Expenses
On top of the table amount, parents typically split what are called special or extraordinary expenses, sometimes referred to as section 7 expenses. These are costs beyond the everyday basics, and common examples include:
● Childcare costs, particularly if needed so a parent can work
● Medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance
● Significant extracurricular activities
● Certain educational expenses, including some post secondary costs
These expenses are usually shared between both parents in proportion to their incomes, rather than split evenly down the middle. A parent earning significantly more will generally cover a larger share.
When Parenting Time Is Shared Fairly Evenly
The calculation gets a bit more layered when both parents have the child close to equal amounts of time, generally somewhere in the range of forty percent or more with each parent. In these situations, courts often use what is called a set off approach. Both parents’ table amounts are calculated as if the other were the sole recipient, and the parent with the higher amount pays the difference between the two.
This does not mean shared parenting automatically cuts support in half. It is a genuinely different calculation, and it can produce results that surprise people who assumed shared time would simply cancel out support obligations entirely.
What Parents Cannot Simply Agree Around
Child support is treated as the right of the child, not a negotiating point between parents. Courts generally will not approve a separation agreement or consent order that provides less than the guideline amount without a specific, justified reason. Even if both parents are in complete agreement to do things differently, that agreement needs to hold up to scrutiny if it departs from the standard calculation.
Keeping the Number Accurate Over Time
Income changes, and child support is meant to keep up with it. Alberta’s Child Support Recalculation Program can automatically adjust many existing orders each year based on updated tax information, without needing to return to court every time. Enrollment is free and worth doing for most ongoing arrangements.
Where a more significant change has happened, such as a job loss, a major raise, or a shift in parenting time, either parent can apply to formally vary the existing order instead of waiting for the annual recalculation.
What Happens If Support Is Not Paid
Once a support order exists, either parent can register it with Alberta’s Maintenance Enforcement Program, known as MEP. MEP collects payments from the paying parent and forwards them to the receiving parent, and it has real tools available when payments fall behind, including wage garnishment, driver’s license suspension, and reporting arrears to credit bureaus. Only one parent needs to register for MEP to become involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is child support based on take home pay or gross income?
Gross income, meaning income before tax, is the starting point for the calculation, not what actually lands in a parent’s bank account after deductions.
Do both parents’ incomes matter, or just the paying parent’s?
The paying parent’s income drives the base table amount. Once shared parenting or special expenses come into play, both parents’ incomes become relevant to the calculation.
What if the paying parent is self employed?
Self employment income can be more complicated to assess, and a court can look beyond what is reported if it does not reflect what a parent is actually earning or capable of earning.
Can parents just agree to a lower amount than the guidelines suggest?
Not without good reason. Since child support belongs to the child rather than either parent, agreements that fall below the guideline amount need to be justified, and courts can decline to approve ones that are not.
Does child support change automatically as income changes?
It can, if you are enrolled in Alberta’s Child Support Recalculation Program, which adjusts many orders annually based on updated tax information. Otherwise, a parent needs to apply to formally vary the order.
Talk to a Family Lawyer About Your Situation
Every family’s numbers look a little different once income, parenting time, and special expenses all come into the picture. If you want a clear, honest read on what child support is likely to look like in your specific situation, our Edmonton family law team is here to help. Visit our Child Support page to learn more, or book a free consultation to talk through your circumstances directly.
