Support
Navigating the intricacies of how and what to pay – and for how long.
Child Support
Parents are often anxious about the issue of child support, but legally speaking, it’s fairly straightforward. Support payments are determined by key factors such as income levels, the number of children, and how custody is shared.
In addition to a set monthly amount, special expenses such as daycare, braces and extra-curricular activities are generally divided in proportion to each parent’s income.
Spousal Support
Whether married or in a common law relationship, spousal support is not an automatic element of a separation. Instead, the spouse who is claiming spousal support must prove an entitlement to it.
The outcome and amount depends on many factors that include:
Length of relationship
Roles played by each spouse throughout the relationship
Ages at time of separation
Income and asset levels
Ability of the recipient spouse to become self-sufficient
How the recipient spouse contributed to the other’s career
I can help you navigate the intricacies of how and what to pay, in addition to when it should cease – for instance, if a change in circumstances makes the agreement inequitable.
If necessary, I can also work on your behalf with the provincial Family Responsibility Office, which enforces spousal and support orders.
Income Determination and Business Valuation
Income determination is often the most challenging aspect of child and spousal support. This can be even more so an area of anxiety for self-employed business owners and their spouses.
I work with a network of accountants and chartered business valuators who can assist with fair income determination and business valuations.
