Do you need help with understanding child support guidelines?

Contention often exists between separated or divorced parents in Ontario. To make it easier for parents, Federal Child Support Guidelines became effective in 1997. However, in the 20 years since then, not much has changed because many couples fail to reach agreement on issues that play roles in the determination of child support.

The presence of children can present many challenges because parents seldom agree on what is best for the children. Although family law issues can be complicated, the skilled lawyers at the divorce law firm of Dunsmuir Ridler in Ontario have been there to provide support and guidance through the navigation of emotional family law cases for many years. They can explain the guidelines and the factors that influence child support calculations.

Along with a supporting parent’s responsibility to contribute to the cost of clothing, food and shelter, other extraordinary expenses can come into play. These include dental and medical insurance and expenses related to education, extracurricular activities and more. Parents with unusual, unpredictable or irregular income structures, such as those doing seasonal work or who have commission-only employment, can complicate the determination of child support.

At the Newmarket office of Dunsmuir Ridler, help is also available for parents who have experienced significant changes in their professional or personal lives that require modifications in the child support agreement. Factors that can necessitate changes to child support orders include employment loss, illness, relocation out of Ontario or the changing needs of the children as they grow older. To make changes enforceable, a legal modification — done with legal guidance — will always be better than a verbal agreement.