- The Guidelines set a standard way to work out child support so amounts are fair and conflict between parents is reduced.
- The basic amount comes from a table based on the payor's income, the number of children and the payor's province, plus any special or extraordinary expenses.
- Courts can depart from the table amount in limited situations, such as undue hardship or a reasonable agreed arrangement.
If you are separating, you will probably hear someone say "the Guidelines will decide this." It sounds like a rulebook for the whole separation, but it is narrower than that. The Guidelines are about one thing: how much child support is paid.
This article explains in plain words what the Guidelines are, who they cover, what they decide and where there is room for exceptions. It is general information, not advice on your own file.
What the Guidelines are
The Federal Child Support Guidelines aim to set a fair standard of support for children and to reduce conflict between spouses. Under the Divorce Act, a court may order a spouse to pay support for any or all children of the marriage, and the order must follow the applicable guidelines.
Ontario also has its own child support guidelines for cases outside the Divorce Act. Those are generally built to work in a similar way, but the details are worth confirming with a lawyer for your situation.
Who they cover
Under the Divorce Act, a child of the marriage is a child of two spouses or former spouses who is under the age of majority and has not withdrawn from their charge. It also includes an adult child who cannot become independent because of illness, disability or another cause. The age of majority is set by the law of the province where the child habitually lives.
Two groups get special treatment:
- Adult children: the court may apply the Guidelines as if the child were a minor, or set the amount it considers appropriate after looking at the child's condition, means, needs and other circumstances.
- Stepparents and others who stand in the place of a parent: the amount is what the court considers appropriate, having regard to the Guidelines and any other parent's legal duty to support the child, so it is not automatically the table amount.
The Divorce Act applies only to married spouses who are divorcing. If you were never married, or you are married but not seeking a divorce, a different law applies, and it is worth getting advice on how it fits your case.
What the Guidelines decide
The basic (presumptive) amount is the amount in the applicable table for the number of children under the age of majority, plus any special or extraordinary expenses under section 7. The table amount depends on the paying parent's annual income, the number of children and the province where the paying parent lives.
| Piece | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Table amount | Monthly support based on payor income, number of children and province |
| Section 7 expenses | Extras such as child care, health costs and post-secondary education, paid on top of the table amount |
| Parenting time rules | Different approaches for shared and split parenting |
| Income rules | How income is measured, and when a court may use a different figure |
Updated federal tables took effect on October 1, 2025. They apply to support owed from that date, while the 2017 tables apply to November 22, 2017 to September 30, 2025. Ontario's government says the new amounts apply to all Ontario child support matters from October 1, 2025, but the 2025 tables do not automatically change an order made before that date.
When the table amount is not the end of it
The table amount is the starting point, but the Guidelines allow some departures:
- Payor income over $150,000: the court may order the full table amount, or the table amount on the first $150,000 plus an amount it considers appropriate above that.
- Undue hardship: a court may order a different amount, for example because of unusually high debts reasonably incurred to support the family, unusually high costs of exercising parenting time, or legal duties to support other children or persons. The claim must be denied if the household claiming hardship would have a higher standard of living than the other household.
- Special provisions: a court may depart if an order or agreement has provisions that benefit the child and the Guidelines amount would be inequitable because of them, and it must record its reasons.
- Consent orders: with both spouses' consent, a court may award a different amount if satisfied that reasonable arrangements have been made for the child's support.
In other words, parents cannot simply contract out of support. The court must be satisfied the arrangements are reasonable.
What to do next
- Gather your last three years of tax returns and notices of assessment, since income is central to the table amount.
- Note your actual parenting schedule over a year, because it affects which rules apply.
- List child-related costs such as child care, health costs and school or activity fees for section 7 discussions.
- Check whether any existing order or agreement was made before October 1, 2025, because the new tables do not change it automatically.
- Speak with a family lawyer before signing an agreement that departs from the table amount.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Guidelines the same as the child support tables?
No. The tables are one part of the Guidelines. The Guidelines also deal with special or extraordinary expenses, income, shared and split parenting, and undue hardship.
Do the Guidelines change an existing order?
Not automatically. A difference between the old amount and the 2025 table amount may count as a change in circumstances, which lets a parent ask a court or the recalculation service to update the order.
Can parents agree to something different from the table?
Sometimes. A court may award a different amount with both spouses' consent if it is satisfied that reasonable arrangements have been made for the child's support.
Do the Guidelines apply to adult children?
They can. For an adult child, the court may apply the Guidelines as if the child were a minor, or set the amount it considers appropriate.
Sources
- Federal Child Support Guidelines, s. 1 — Justice Laws (federal)
- Divorce Act, s. 15.1 — Justice Laws (federal)
- Justice Canada – 2025 Update to the Federal Child Support Tables — justice.gc.ca
- Ontario.ca – Arranging child support — ontario.ca
- Justice Canada – Step 7: special or extraordinary expenses — justice.gc.ca
- Justice Canada – Step 3: parenting time arrangement — justice.gc.ca
- Justice Canada – Child support obligations of a spouse who stands in place of a parent — justice.gc.ca
- Ontario.ca – Set up or update child support in court — ontario.ca
Links go to official government, court and regulator pages. The law changes — confirm you are reading the current version.
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