Offices in Ottawa and Perth
(613) 722-1500

CONTACT US (613) 722-1500

Family Law

Child And Spousal Support

Separation and divorce have inevitable financial effects. In addition to decisions about property division and assets of the marriage, parents must plan for the financial support of minor children. In some cases, one spouse may also pay support to his or her former partner, in addition to the support paid for the benefit of the child. The spousal and child support lawyers at Mann Lawyers can help you understand the legal framework around support, what your rights and obligations may be, and how an agreement can best be negotiated for you and your child.

Establishing Child Support Arrangements

Child support in Ontario is based on mandatory calculations using the federal or provincial child support guidelines. If a child resides with one parent, the amount of support payable for that child is based on the paying parent’s income and the number of children he or she is required to support. As such, there is a higher level of predictability in child support and most parents are able to negotiate child support payments within the context of a separation agreement.

Negotiating Spousal Support

Unlike child support, determination of eligibility and amount of spousal support varies depending on the particular circumstances of each family. Entitlement to support depends on several factors, including the roles played by the spouses during the marriage, career interruption, and income differences. Only after a spouse is found to be entitled to support will the amount and duration of the support be determined. Judges in Ontario are required to consider the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines but retain a significant amount of discretion.

Connect with our Team

Offices in Ottawa and Perth     (613) 722-1500

Related Service Areas

Arbitration
Cohabitation And Marriage Agreements
Collaborative Practice
Division Of Property And Assets
Divorce And Separation
Family Mediation
Fertility & Surrogacy Law
Parenting Time and Decision-Making Responsibility
Voice of the Child in Family Law

More Resources

Blog |
Family Law
By: 
Amongst the profession, we often refer to domestic contracts prepared by the parties themselves without legal advice as “kitchen table agreements”. In May 2023, the[...]
Newsletters |
Employment, Labour, and Human Rights
By: 

Posted November 17, 2023

Newsletters |
By: 

Posted November 16, 2023

Blog |
Wills, Trusts and Estates
By: 

Posted November 7, 2023

What is a Power of Attorney document? A Power of Attorney is a legal document that authorizes someone else, known as your “attorney” to act[...]
Blog |
Real Estate
By: 

Posted November 6, 2023

If you enter into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale to buy a new build home, your offer could be conditional on having your lawyer[...]
Blog |
Wills, Trusts and Estates
By: 
Do I need a Will? A short answer is most likely. If you possess assets of value, such as chequing or savings accounts, investments, a[...]

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Consent*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.