- The usual starting point is the table amount plus any special or extraordinary expenses.
- The table amount depends on the payer's annual income and the number of children, and a paying parent living in Newfoundland and Labrador uses the provincial table.
- Shared parenting, high income and hardship can change the result.
Parents often want a single number: what will be paid each month? In Newfoundland and Labrador, child support is generally set using the Federal Child Support Guidelines.
This article explains how the amount is worked out, what can change it, and what you will need to provide. It does not give dollar amounts, because they should be read from the current table.
This article covers the law of Newfoundland and Labrador.
How the table amount works
The presumptive order is the amount in the applicable table plus any amount for special or extraordinary expenses. The table amount depends on the payer's annual income and the number of children.
The applicable table is generally the one for the province where the paying spouse habitually resides when the application is made. A paying parent living in Newfoundland and Labrador uses the Newfoundland and Labrador table.
Reading the table
- No table support is payable below $12,000 annual income.
- Tables run in $1,000 income steps up to $150,000.
- The monthly amount is a base amount plus a percentage of income above the band's lower limit.
- The amounts assume support is not taxable to the recipient or deductible by the payer.
Updated tables took effect on October 1, 2025. The Department of Justice look-up tool states it is based on the November 22, 2017 tables, so current amounts should be taken from the Schedule I version dated 2025-10-01.
When the amount can differ
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Payer income over $150,000 | The court uses the table amount or, if that is inappropriate, the table amount for the first $150,000 plus an amount it considers appropriate for the balance. |
| Each parent has at least 40% of parenting time | The court considers both table amounts, the increased costs of shared parenting and each parent's circumstances. |
| Split parenting time | Each parent pays the table amount for the children with the other, and the difference is paid. |
| Special or extraordinary expenses | An additional amount may be allowed for items such as child care, insurance premiums and education. |
| Undue hardship | A different amount may be allowed where a spouse or child would otherwise suffer undue hardship. |
The 40% rule applies where each spouse has not less than 40% of parenting time over a year. Children of the age of majority or over are dealt with separately.
Income documents and timing
A spouse applying for support must give income documents, including the three most recent income tax returns. The respondent must provide documents within 30 days of service if living in Canada or the United States, or 60 days if living elsewhere.
Where to apply and where to get help
The Family Division of the Supreme Court exercises jurisdiction over almost all family law matters, including child support and parenting. It has exclusive jurisdiction in the East Coast and West Coast judicial areas. In the expanded service area, from Holyrood to Port Blandford including the Bonavista Peninsula, residents can choose either the Family Division or the Provincial Court for support applications under the Family Law Act, while divorce is a Supreme Court matter. The General Division of the Supreme Court also exercises jurisdiction over some family matters in areas where the Family Division does not operate.
If you are divorcing, a judge can make orders on parenting, child support and spousal support together with the divorce. Which court and process fit your situation depends on where you live and whether you were married, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer.
- Family Justice Services (FJS) is a division of the Supreme Court that helps families resolve parenting and child support issues outside the courtroom. It offers mediation and parent education sessions, is free, and does not provide legal advice.
- Both parties can sign and submit a Request for Service to the nearest FJS office.
- When an Originating Application raising a child support or parenting issue is filed with the Supreme Court, it is automatically forwarded to FJS.
- The Parent Information Program, called Living Apart…Parenting Together, is described as a free three-hour group session. Each parent attends a separate presentation, and children cannot attend.
- Attendance at the Parent Information Program is mandatory for parents involved in family court applications, and parents not going to court are encouraged to attend.
What to do next
- Gather your last three income tax returns.
- Estimate the number of nights the children spend with each parent.
- List child care, insurance and education costs.
- Look up the Newfoundland and Labrador table in the Schedule I version dated 2025-10-01.
- Consider Family Justice Services, which offers free mediation on parenting and child support issues.
A lawyer can confirm the figure for your income and parenting schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What income is too low to pay table support?
No table support is payable below $12,000 annual income. Other parts of the Guidelines may still matter, so confirm your situation.
Does shared parenting reduce support?
It can. If each spouse has not less than 40% of parenting time over a year, the court considers both table amounts, the increased costs of shared parenting and each parent's circumstances.
Can I get extra money for child care?
The Guidelines allow an additional amount for special or extraordinary expenses such as child care, insurance premiums and education.
Which table do I use?
Generally the table for the province where the paying spouse lives when the application is made, so a payer in Newfoundland and Labrador uses that provincial table. Use the version dated 2025-10-01.
Sources
- Federal Child Support Guidelines, SOR/97-175 — Justice Laws (federal)
- Federal Child Support Guidelines, Schedule I (version in force 2025-10-01) — Justice Laws (federal)
- Department of Justice Canada – Child Support Table Look-up — justice.gc.ca
- Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Divorce and Separation — court.nl.ca
- Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Family Division Jurisdiction — court.nl.ca
- Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – General Division Jurisdiction — court.nl.ca
- Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Family Justice Services — court.nl.ca
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador – Family Justice Services Division: Parent Information Program — gov.nl.ca
Links go to official government, court and regulator pages. The law changes — confirm you are reading the current version.
This is a family law question
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