Child Support Questions That People Ask Family Lawyers in Mississauga

Family Lawyers in Mississauga

Child support in Mississauga is a subject that parents often have questions about. It is essential to understand how child support laws work because child support is crucial for a child’s upbringing.

Concerning child support, the following questions are frequently asked:

What Is Child Support Meant to Cover?

Child support aims to provide a child with the essentials of life, including food, shelter, clothing, education, and necessary medical treatment. Child support usually does not cover luxury items.

Support for children is also not intended to cover living expenses for the custodial parent. If a court orders child support or the parents sign a valid child support agreement, these arrangements are legally enforceable.

How Do You Calculate Child Support?

The amount of child support is calculated based on various factors relating to the child’s financial situation and its parents. When setting child support amounts, the court usually considers the child’s age, physical characteristics, development, and medical needs.

In addition to the parent’s income, a court gives great weight to their educational background, earning capacity, and financial experience. Other factors considered by the court include whether the custodial parent has remarried and whether their new spouse is providing financial support.

There are certain provinces where specific family law courts may issue guidance on calculating child support. Court websites may provide the information. A local family law attorney would also be familiar with the details of how the local court calculates child support.

Most provinces require a person seeking child support to file a petition with the court as part of a divorce action. A court-ordered form may be required. A child support order would require this document. Courts are required to issue child support orders if they issue custody orders. To file detailed financial information with the court, both parties in a divorce case involving children must do so.

Documentation showing a person’s monthly expenses, income, and assets, such as bank accounts, real estate owned, etc., are usually required. This information determines child support.

One might be required to submit the following documents:

  • Identification with a picture, such as a driver’s license or passport;
  • Documents that prove a person’s address, such as rent receipts, mortgage statements, or utility bills;
  • A copy of the child’s birth certificate(s);
  • Any information on the other parent of their child or children, such as their current address or employment, is valuable.
  • A DNA test or an affidavit establishing the paternity of the child or children for whom support is sought;
  • Income proof such as a recent paycheck stub;
  • Statements of unpaid child support or proof that child support has recently been paid;
  • If the child’s other parent divorced the person, then the person is seeking to support the child;
  • Documentation of the owner’s real estate or personal property, as well as financial documentation

The following list is not necessarily comprehensive. The court may also seek additional information.

How Is Child Support Collected?

To establish child support, a non-custodial parent must be determined to be the parent of the child or children for whom support is sought. Assumptions about parentage are made by the law and can’t be contested if the parents are getting divorced.

In the case of non-married parents, the custodial parent must first establish the child’s paternity before seeking child support. Only after this step can the custodial parent apply for child support. They usually collect child support by one of three methods from the paying parent: a direct deposit to the custodial parent’s bank account, an electronic payment card that functions like a debit card, or a bank check.

Can the Child Support Amount be Changed in the Future?

If either parent’s financial situation significantly changes, the custodial parent may ask for a change in child support. The parents must petition the court for a modification of child support. Parents must provide evidence in support of the requested changes.

A change in the monthly support amount must generally be justified. To demonstrate academic support, the child may need to show that they have additional expenses at school.

If a Parent Loses Their Job or Gets a New Job, Is Child Support Automatically Changed?

It doesn’t change automatically. The parent affected by a change in circumstances of the parents or the children must request a change in the child support order.

The parent who seeks a change in child support would have to go back to the court that issued the child support order if the court issued the child support order as part of a divorce proceeding. Modifying child support would involve filing a petition. A person with a wide range of income may want to talk to their local family court about explaining their situation if they have a significant fluctuation from year to year.

When Does Child Support End?

When a child reaches the age of 18, they are considered an adult and are no longer entitled to the support of either parent. Child support orders may even specify that they expire when they turn 18. The child support payments may cease if the child passes away. The non-custodial parent would no longer be responsible for paying child support if a child successfully seeks emancipation before 18.

In some situations, child support may continue if there is evidence that the child has a mental or physical condition that makes them susceptible to parental support.

What Is “Past Due Support”?

A parent who has missed or skipped child support payments is called a past due payer. Although a parent is still legally obligated to pay unpaid child support over time, a debt may accumulate for outstanding child support.

If non-custodial parents do not make payments consistently, they may accumulate significant arrears. Their paychecks may be garnished as a result. Bankruptcy cannot discharge an unpaid child support debt.

Conclusion

It is common for child support issues to be complicated, requiring considerable interaction between the court and parents. When dealing with child support issues, you should hire a reputable family lawyer.

Talk to your attorney, who can provide you with the information you need. Moreover, your attorney can assist you in negotiations with the other parent of your child or children, thus sparing you from the sometimes unpleasant experience. Attorneys can also prepare documents for court proceedings and represent people in court during hearings and settlement meetings.

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Written by: the Divorce Fast Team

Our team of Ontario lawyers has over 15 years of experience handling divorce and other family law matters.

All of our lawyers are in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario, and have the knowledge and experience to help and guide you through your family law issues. Whether your matter pertains to divorce, separation, custody/access, or support claims, we are the firm for you.

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