- For children under the age of majority, the starting point is the table amount for the number of children and the payer's income, plus any special or extraordinary expenses.
- Very high incomes, shared parenting of 40% or more, split parenting, undue hardship and adult children each move the analysis beyond a simple table lookup.
- A calculator that uses a declared income may not match the income a court decides to use.
- Orders made before October 1, 2025 are not changed automatically by the 2025 tables.
Most people searching for the child support guidelines in Ontario want one number. The tables can give you that number in many cases. If your situation is less typical, though, the table figure may be only a starting point, or may not be the answer at all.
This article explains, in plain terms, where the Guidelines stop being a formula and where a judge has room to decide. It is general information, not advice about your own case.
What the tables do cover
The Federal Child Support Guidelines are regulations under the Divorce Act, and all provinces and territories except Quebec have adopted the Federal Tables. The updated tables, including Ontario's, came into effect on October 1, 2025, and the 2017 tables apply to earlier periods.
The basic amount depends on the number of children, the province where the paying parent lives, and the paying parent's annual income. The presumptive rule for children under the age of majority is the table amount plus any special or extraordinary expenses.
For example, the Ontario one-child table shows $554 a month at $60,000 of income, plus 0.92% of income over $60,000. Brackets are $1,000 wide, so incomes between brackets are interpolated. Simplified tables are rounded, so the official tables or the federal online look-up tool give the exact figure.
Where the Guidelines stop being a simple formula
The table below sets out the situations that most often take a case beyond a straight lookup. Each one is built into the Guidelines, but each involves judgment.
| Situation | What changes | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Payer income over $150,000 | The court uses the table unless it considers that inappropriate. If so, it uses the table amount for the first $150,000 plus an amount it sets for the balance. | Section 4 |
| Each parent has the child at least 40% of the time | The amount is not simply the table amount. The court weighs both parents' table amounts, the increased costs of shared care, and each parent's circumstances and needs. | Section 9 |
| Each parent has the majority of time with at least one child | The order is the difference between the amounts each parent would otherwise pay. | Section 8 |
| Undue hardship | A court may award a different amount on either parent's application. | Section 10 |
| Child at or over the age of majority | The court orders the Guidelines amount as if the child were a minor, or another amount it considers appropriate. | Section 3(2) |
| Special or extraordinary expenses | These can be added on either parent's request. | Section 7 |
Income that is not straightforward
Income is generally determined from the Total income sources on the T1 General, adjusted under Schedule III. A court may look at the last three years where the current figure is not the fairest measure.
A court can also impute income as it considers appropriate, for example for intentional under- or unemployment, diverted income or unreasonable expense deductions. This means a calculator using a declared income may differ from a court's figure.
If the payer is a shareholder, director or officer of a corporation, the court may include all or part of the corporation's pre-tax income, capped at the corporation's pre-tax income. Business owners often find this is where the biggest disagreement arises, and it is worth getting financial advice early.
Extraordinary costs, hardship and unusual arrangements
Special or extraordinary expenses can cover child care costs tied to the majority-time parent's employment, illness, disability or education or training. They can also cover the child's share of medical and dental insurance premiums, health-related costs over insurance by at least $100 a year, extraordinary school costs, post-secondary education and extraordinary extracurricular costs. Basic table calculators usually leave these out.
Undue hardship is a narrow exception. The claim must be denied if the claimant's household would have a higher standard of living than the other household. Obligations to children from a new relationship may support a claim.
- A calculator result is an estimate, not an order.
- Shared time of 40% or more usually means a closer look at both households' circumstances.
- Children of different ages with different living arrangements may raise split parenting.
Existing orders, agreements and the 2025 update
The 2025 tables do not automatically change orders made before October 1, 2025. A different table amount may count as a change in circumstances, and a parent can apply to court or a recalculation service to update the amount. For a table-based order, a change in circumstances is any change that would result in a different child support order.
The Divorce Act allows a court to vary, rescind or suspend a support order retroactively or prospectively, but it requires a change of circumstances as provided for in the applicable guidelines. A court may also depart from the guideline amount if special provisions in an order, judgment or written agreement benefit a child and applying the guidelines would be inequitable. The court must record its reasons.
Which guidelines apply depends on your situation. The Federal Guidelines apply in divorce cases unless both parents live in a province with its own designated guidelines, and provincial guidelines apply when parents were never married or separate without divorcing.
What to do next
- Run the federal look-up tool for a rough baseline, and check whether it includes special expenses, since basic table calculators usually leave them out.
- Gather your last three years of tax returns and notices of assessment, as well as corporate statements if you own a business.
- List any child care, medical, school or activity costs with receipts.
- Write down the actual parenting schedule over a full year, not just the plan on paper.
- If your case involves very high income, shared time, a child past the age of majority or a claim of hardship, speak with a family lawyer before you agree to a figure.
Frequently asked questions
Is the table amount always what a judge orders?
No. For a child under the age of majority it is the starting point, with special expenses added. A judge can use a different approach where the Guidelines allow it, such as with income over $150,000, shared parenting or undue hardship.
Does the Ontario table stop at a certain income?
The Ontario one-child table shows $1,327 a month at $150,000 or more, plus 0.76% of income over $150,000. Separately, the court can decide that applying the table above $150,000 is inappropriate and set an amount for the balance.
Does child support apply to a child who is no longer a minor?
It can. The court orders either the Guidelines amount as if the child were a minor, or another amount it considers appropriate. Whether the child qualifies depends on the facts and the law that applies, so a lawyer can confirm.
Will my old order change because of the 2025 tables?
Not automatically. A different table amount may count as a change in circumstances, and you can apply to court or a recalculation service to update the amount.
Sources
- Justice Canada – 2025 Update to the Federal Child Support Tables — justice.gc.ca
- Justice Canada – FAQ on the 2025 Update — justice.canada.ca
- Federal Child Support Guidelines SOR/97-175, Schedule I (Ontario) — laws.justice.gc.ca
- Ontario.ca – Arranging child support — ontario.ca
- Federal Child Support Guidelines SOR/97-175, s. 3 — Justice Laws (federal)
- Divorce Act, s. 17 — Justice Laws (federal)
- Justice Canada – Fact Sheet: Child Support — justice.gc.ca
Links go to official government, court and regulator pages. The law changes — confirm you are reading the current version.
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