Family Law Act Part 3: Support Obligations

When a couple is considering a divorce, there are various support obligations applicable under

the Ontario Family Law Act. The most important support obligation is child support. When

going through a divorce it is vital to put the needs of the child first. Second to that is spousal

support.

Child Support

Child support is the amount of money paid by one parent to the other for the care and upbringing

of dependent children. Parents, whether biological or not, are obligated to pay in both legal and

common law marriages.

The amount of child support payable, as established by the federal and provincial governments,

is determined by the custody arrangement, number of children, and payer’s annual income.

Spousal Support

Spousal support determination in Ontario is complex because there any many different

conditions to take into consideration including the occupation of each spouse during the

marriage, the length of the marriage, age, physical health and career potential of each party.

Spousal support in Ontario may be awarded if it is demonstrated that one party:

Suffered an economic disadvantage during the marriage

Requires financial relief

Contributed to the care and upbringing of the children during the marriage.

To learn more about Ontario Family Law, visit www.bakerandbakerlaw.com