Practice areas · Child support
Child support that reflects your child’s life.
Income, parenting time, expenses, changes later. Child support should be clear, fair, and built around the children it is meant to support.
Where you are
You need a number you can understand and rely on.
Child support is not a bargaining chip between parents. It is money for the children: food, clothing, housing, school, activities, care, and the ordinary costs of growing up.
Whether you expect to pay support or receive it, the same questions usually come up first: what income counts, how parenting time affects the calculation, which expenses are shared, and what happens if a job, schedule, or child’s needs change later. From our Saskatoon office, we help parents turn those questions into clear, workable support terms.
Book a consultationHow support is calculated
Three things shape the number
The child support table is usually the starting point, not always the final answer. The right amount depends on the income information, the parenting arrangement, and the expenses that apply to your children.
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Start with income and the table amount
The basic table amount is based on the paying parent’s before-tax annual income, the number of children, and the province or territory where the paying parent lives. Accurate income disclosure is the foundation of the calculation.
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Apply the parenting arrangement
Parenting time can affect how support is assessed. A child who spends most of their time with one parent is treated differently than a child in a shared parenting-time arrangement, where each parent has at least 40% of the time over the year.
Shared parenting time does not automatically mean no support is paid. The calculation still needs to account for income, household costs, and the children’s actual needs.
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Account for special or extraordinary expenses
Some expenses sit outside the basic table amount. Child care, health-related costs, certain extracurricular activities, and post-secondary expenses may need to be shared in addition to monthly support, usually in proportion to the parents’ incomes.
What you may need to work through
The details that change the outcome
The formula matters, but the facts matter too. We help parents sort out the information behind the number, so the agreement or order is accurate, realistic, and enforceable.
Income Disclosure
Pay stubs, tax returns, bonuses, overtime, self-employment income, benefits, and missing information. The calculation is only as good as the disclosure behind it.
Learn moreParenting Time
Support and parenting arrangements are connected, but they are not the same issue. We help you understand how the schedule affects the number without making the schedule only about money.
Learn moreShared Expenses
Daycare, medical costs, school fees, activities, and post-secondary expenses can create conflict when they are vague. The agreement should say what is shared, how, and when.
Learn moreChanges Later
New income, job loss, a child starting school, a schedule change, or a child becoming independent can all raise support questions. Changes should be documented, not assumed.
Learn moreHow we help
Most support issues can be resolved without court
Child support is often emotional because it touches both money and parenting. A clear process helps parents move from argument to numbers, documents, and a workable agreement.
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Get the information on the table
We identify the income documents, parenting details, and expense records needed to calculate support properly. If information is missing, we help you understand what can be requested and why it matters.
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Negotiate the amount and the structure
Some families need a straightforward table amount. Others need terms for shared parenting time, section 7 expenses, annual income exchange, or recalculation. We help build the structure around the facts, not assumptions.
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Formalize it so everyone knows what applies
If parents agree, support can often be addressed through a written agreement or consent order. If agreement is not possible, we will tell you when court is necessary and what evidence will matter.
Common questions
Things people ask before they call
How is child support calculated in Saskatchewan?
The basic table amount is usually based on the paying parent’s gross annual income, the number of children, and the applicable child support table. The final amount may change if there is shared parenting time, split parenting time, special expenses, undue hardship, or an income issue that needs closer attention.
Does shared parenting time mean no one pays child support?
No. Shared parenting time usually means each parent has at least 40% of the child’s time over the year. That changes the analysis, but it does not automatically cancel support. The parents’ incomes, the cost of maintaining two homes for the child, and the child’s actual needs may all matter.
What are special or extraordinary expenses?
These are expenses that may be shared in addition to the basic monthly table amount. Common examples include child care required for work or school, medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance, certain extracurricular activities, and post-secondary costs. The details matter, because not every expense qualifies.
Can child support be changed later?
Yes. Child support can often be updated when circumstances change: income goes up or down, parenting time changes, a child’s expenses change, or a child is no longer dependent. The change should be handled properly through agreement, recalculation, consent order, or court order. Do not simply change payments on your own and hope it works out later.
What if the other parent will not provide income information?
Child support depends on reliable income information. If a parent will not disclose it voluntarily, there may be ways to request or compel disclosure through the legal process. In some cases, income may need to be imputed if the evidence supports it.
What happens if a parent does not pay?
Support can be enforced when there is a written support agreement or court order. Depending on the circumstances, enforcement may involve collection steps such as payment monitoring, wage garnishment, interception of federal payments, or licence-related consequences. If you are behind because your circumstances changed, get advice about variation or recalculation rather than ignoring the problem.
Can I stop paying if I am not seeing my child?
No. Child support and parenting time are separate issues. If the other parent is not following the parenting arrangement, that needs to be addressed through parenting-time enforcement or variation. It does not usually give a parent permission to stop paying child support.
Do we have to go to court?
Not always. Many child support issues are resolved through disclosure, negotiation, mediation, collaborative process, or a consent order. Court may be necessary if a parent will not provide information, refuses to pay, disputes income, or will not agree to a support amount that reflects the law and the facts.
Sorting out the parenting schedule too? See how parenting arrangements affect the bigger picture.
Take the first step
Get clear on support before it becomes a fight.
You do not need to know the right number before you call. Tell us what is happening, and we will help you understand what information matters, what the guidelines point to, and what options you have for resolving it.
Or tell us your story: admin@commonsenselawyer.com
Saskatoon office, Mon–Thu 9–5. Tuesday evenings by appointment.