1. Figure out the basic table amount
Question & Answer
How much child support must be paid?Basic monthly amounts of are set out in the and the Government of Canada’s child support tables. It is based on the gross annual income of the parent and the number of children entitled to support.
The income of the parent receiving support is usually not relevant. The table amount assumes that the parent who is caring for the child most of the time contributes to their financial support.
There is an online calculator at the Child Support Lookup that can help you figure out the table amount of child support.
The tables only show the basic monthly amount of child support that cover things like:
- a share of the rent or mortgage to cover the cost of the child’s housing
- bills for household expenses
- groceries
- clothes
- toiletries
- haircuts
- school supplies
Calculate income
Gross income means income before taxes and most other deductions. There are two ways to find this amount:
- Look at line 150 of the payor parent’s income tax return or notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency.
- Look at pay stubs for a full year and add up the earnings before deductions.
Payor parents must give detailed information about their income. This can include:
- income tax returns and notices of assessment
- pay stubs or statements from employers
- financial statements of any business they own
- statements from employment insurance, social assistance, a pension, worker’s compensation, or disability payments
- proof of income from a trust
Pick the right table
There is a separate table for each province and territory to reflect different tax rates between provinces and territories.
If the payor parent lives in a province or territory other than Ontario, use the table for that province or territory. If the payor parent lives outside of Canada, and the other parent in Ontario, use the Ontario table.
