Since child support is the right of the child, it is not something that can be waived, negotiated away, or skipped because parenting time feels unequal. From how the Federal Child Support Guidelines calculate amounts to what happens when payments are missed, here’s what both parents need to know.
Two years of living together, and the law treats your separation much like a divorce. Common law couples in Saskatchewan have the same rights, and the same obligations as married spouses when it comes to property, support, and parenting. Here’s what that means in practice.
Your child may consider the Saskatoon Exhibition a yearly essential, but under the Federal Child Support Guidelines, it doesn’t qualify as a Section 7 expense. Understanding what does and doesn’t make that list, and how co-parents can voluntarily agree to share costs that aren’t legally required helps everyone plan better for summer.
Child support follows the child, not the parents’ relationship. Both parents carry a legal obligation to financially support their children after separation, and the Federal Child Support Guidelines set out how amounts are calculated. Here’s what every separating parent should understand before reaching an agreement.
Eighteen isn’t always the finish line. Full-time students, children with disabilities, and shifts in either parent’s income can all affect when support ends and stopping payments without legal authority can have serious consequences. Here’s what Saskatchewan parents need to know.
A child support order isn’t necessarily permanent. Significant income changes, shifts in parenting arrangements, and children turning 18 can all justify revisiting an existing order. In many cases, mediation can get both parents to a revised agreement without returning to court.
Base child support covers the basics, but some child-related costs are meant to be shared separately, proportionate to each parent’s income. Section 7 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines covers expenses like childcare, healthcare, extracurricular activities, and post-secondary education. Not everything makes the list, and disagreements about what qualifies are common.
