How Much Child Support Will I Pay in Alberta on My Income?

If you are the parent who will be paying, the first question is usually simple: what will it cost me each month? The honest answer is that it depends on a short list of inputs, and the table does the arithmetic once those are fixed.

This article explains what goes into the Alberta figure, which income counts, and what can push the amount above or below the plain table number. For the exact dollar figure at your income, you will need to look up the current official table or have a lawyer run it for you.

This article covers the law of Alberta.

What the table amount is based on

For a child under the age of majority, the order is the applicable table amount plus any amount for special or extraordinary expenses. The table amount is driven by three things: the paying parent's annual income, the number of children, and the province of the payer.

In Alberta, the same federal tables are used whether you are under the Divorce Act or the Family Law Act. Alberta's own guidelines adopt the Federal Child Support Guidelines, so the table amounts are the same either way.

Generally the table used is the one for the province where the paying parent habitually lives when the application is made, with exceptions if the payer moves or lives outside Canada.

Why one number at each income can be misleading

Updated tables took effect on October 1, 2025, and they use 2023 tax rules, where the earlier tables used 2017 rules. In Alberta, the older tables apply to support periods from November 22, 2017 through September 30, 2025, and the new tables apply to periods on or after October 1, 2025.

That means monthly figures quoted in older articles, forums or calculators may not match what a court would use today. Check the current table on the Department of Justice Canada site, or use a calculator that states it uses the 2025 tables.

There is also a floor. The tables set a threshold income below which no table child support is payable, stated as $12,000.

Which income counts

Income is generally taken from the Total income line of your T1 General tax form, adjusted under Schedule III of the Guidelines. Parents may also agree in writing on an income figure, and the court may accept it if it is reasonable.

Your current-year income is not always the end of the story. The court can look back over the last three years if this year's income would not fairly reflect what you earn, for example where income fluctuates or is non-recurring. If you own a corporation or are a director or officer, the court may attribute some or all of its pre-tax income to you where your salary does not fairly show the money available for support.

What can push the amount above or below the table

On top of the table amount, the court can add shares of special or extraordinary expenses such as child care or post-secondary costs.

What to do next

• Gather your tax returns and notices of assessment for the last three years, since these are the documents normally required.
• Note your exact parenting schedule over a full year, because the 40% line matters.
• List child care, medical, school and activity costs you already pay.
• Look up the current official table for your income and number of children.
• Speak with a lawyer if you have corporate, fluctuating or high income, or a shared schedule.

If you are served with an application, you must provide the income documents within 30 days if you are in Canada or the United States, or 60 days if elsewhere, unless the court sets another deadline. If a spouse does not provide them, the other can seek an order for the documents, and the court may impute income.

Frequently asked questions