The Federal Government is Updating the Child Support Guidelines in October. What does this mean for people with a child support agreement or court order?

The Federal Child Support Guidelines are regulations used to determine child support amounts in separation/divorce cases. The formula used for the tables is based on capacity to pay and takes into account the paying parent’s income and the parenting arrangements.

The Tables are usually updated every five years, but the pandemic delayed an update from the 2017 tables that have been in place. On October 1, 2025, the updated Guidelines will come into effect. Paying parents may have to pay more or less child support as a result of the update to the Tables.

In most situations, child support should be reviewed and updated annually to reflect the payor’s income and the parenting arrangement. If you have a separation agreement or court order addressing child support, here are some questions you should consider:

1.      What amount of child support is being paid and how long has that arrangement been in place?
2.      When was the last time my ex-spouse and I exchanged income records? (income tax returns, pay stubs).
3.     When was the last time my ex-spouse and I reviewed the child support arrangement?
4.      Is the parenting arrangement the same or similar to when the agreement or order was made?
5.      Has either parents’ employment changed throughout this child support arrangement? (i.e. promotion, new employer) 6.      Will the update to the Tables result in a different child support obligation?

Determining the appropriate amount of child support can be a complicated task. Reach out to Coast Mountain Law at info@coastmountainlaw.com to schedule a call or meeting with one of our family lawyers to discuss your situation.

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