Spousal & Child Support
Our mediation services help parents and partners work together to agree on fair and equitable decisions. The purpose of mediation is to assist you and your spouse to make your own decision in a collaborative manner.
| Spousal support: | Payment(s) made from one spouse to the other for the purpose of providing financial support. Spousal support is based on three primary attributes: |
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| 1. Entitlement | One partner may pay spousal support to assist with financial needs. This is contingent on factors such as one partner sacrificing their ability to earn income during the marriage, to compensate one partner for ongoing child care, and/or to help due to financial need. |
| 2. Amount | The amount of support can range from various percentages depending on the financial situation based on the income of the individual. |
| 3. Duration | There are different ways spousal support can be paid, some of the common ones being monthly or in a lump sum. The duration is often based on the length of time the spouses lived together, their age, and/or their financial situation. |
When parents separate or divorce, agreeing on the amount of child support together is imperative. If both parents are unable to come to an agreement, the court will use guidelines to determine a fair amount for child support payments
Some child support guidelines fall under federal law, while others are under provincial or territorial law depending on the family’s situation. Mediation can help your family work together and assist parents with agreement terms that are fair for everyone.
| Child support: | Payment(s) made from one parent to the other to assist in the financial obligations of raising a child. |
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| 1. Paying parent | Your child(ren) has a legal right to financial support from both parents. |
| 2. Amount | The amount varies depending on the income of each partner and the terms they decide on together. If left up to the court, child support is typically calculated using a set of rules and table based on federal and provincial Child Support Guidelines. |
| 3. Duration | The duration of child support payments can also be agreed upon by parents. For example, parents may decide the support payments stop after the child reaches a certain age. |