- The table amount is the basic monthly child support figure set by the number of children, the province where the payer lives and the payer's annual income.
- The usual order is the table amount plus any special or extraordinary expenses.
- A court can depart from the table in situations such as shared parenting, split parenting, undue hardship and incomes over $150,000.
- An existing order is not recalculated automatically when the tables change, but a different table amount may count as a change in circumstances.
If you have seen the phrase "table amount" in a court order, a separation agreement or a letter from a support service, you may be wondering what it means and whether it can be argued with.
In plain terms, it is the monthly child support figure that comes straight from the government tables for a given income. This article explains how it is fixed, what gets added to it, and when a court can set a different amount.
What "table amount" means
The basic child support amount depends on the number of children, the province where the paying parent lives, and the paying parent's annual income. That basic figure is the table amount. It comes from the Federal Child Support Tables, which are part of the federal guidelines, and all provinces and territories except Quebec have adopted them.
For children under the age of majority, the presumptive rule is that the order is the table amount for the number of children and the payer's income, plus any special or extraordinary expenses.
How income fixes the number
The calculation is: monthly amount equals a basic amount plus a percentage of the income above a listed figure. The brackets are $1,000 wide, so incomes between brackets are worked out in between.
For example, for one child in Ontario at $60,000 of annual income, the monthly table amount is $554, plus 0.92% of income over $60,000. At $60,500 that is $554 plus 0.92% of $500, or $558.60. At the same $60,000 income, the two-child figure is $911 and the three-child figure is $1,182.
Income is generally determined using the total income sources on the T1 General tax return, adjusted under a schedule to the Guidelines. A court may look at the last three years of income where the current figure is not the fairest measure.
What is added on top of the table amount
Either parent can ask for special or extraordinary expenses to be added. These can include the following:
- child care costs tied to the majority-time parent's employment, illness, disability or education or training
- the child's share of medical and dental insurance premiums
- health-related costs over insurance by at least $100 a year
- extraordinary primary or secondary school costs
- post-secondary education costs
- extraordinary extracurricular costs
Basic table calculators usually leave these out, which is a common reason a calculator result is lower than the amount in an order.
When a court can depart from the table
| Situation | What can happen |
|---|---|
| Shared parenting: each parent has the child at least 40% of the time over a year | The court considers both parents' table amounts, the increased costs of shared care and each parent's circumstances |
| Split parenting: each parent has the majority of time with at least one of two or more children | The order is the difference between the amounts each parent would otherwise pay |
| Undue hardship | On a parent's application, the court may award a different amount, but must deny the claim if the claimant's household would have a higher standard of living |
| Payer income over $150,000 | The court uses the table unless it considers that inappropriate, then the table amount for the first $150,000 plus an amount it sets for the balance |
| 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 |
| Special provisions benefiting a child (Divorce Act) | The court may depart if applying the guidelines would be inequitable given those provisions, and must record its reasons |
Income itself can also be contested. A court may impute income, for example for intentional under- or unemployment, diverted income or unreasonable expense deductions. For a payer who 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 that pre-tax income.
When the table amount in your order changes
The tables are updated from time to time. Earlier versions were 2006, 2011 and 2017, and the current Ontario tables came into effect on October 1, 2025, so there is no fixed update schedule. The 2025 tables do not automatically change orders made before October 1, 2025, but a different table amount may count as a change in circumstances.
For a table-based order, a change in circumstances is any change that would result in a different child support order. Under the Divorce Act, a court can vary, rescind or suspend an order retroactively or prospectively, after finding a change of circumstances as provided for in the applicable guidelines. Only a judge can change the amount in an order, and the Family Responsibility Office cannot.
What to do next
- Find the income figure your order or letter used, and compare it with the paying parent's current income.
- Check the date of the order, since orders made before October 1, 2025 are not automatically updated.
- Ask whether the order includes special or extraordinary expenses on top of the table amount.
- Review the actual parenting schedule over a year, since 40% or more of time can change how the amount is set.
- Keep proof of income current, since the paying parent must give the other parent proof of income every year, including their last tax return and most recent notice of assessment or reassessment.
- Speak with a lawyer before applying to change an order or before stopping payments.
Frequently asked questions
Is the table amount the same for everyone with the same income?
For the same number of children and the same province of the paying parent, the basic amount is the same. The final order can still differ because of special or extraordinary expenses, shared parenting, undue hardship or other departures.
Can I ask for more than the table amount?
Either parent can ask for special or extraordinary expenses to be added on top of the table amount. For payer incomes over $150,000, the court can also use a different approach for the balance above that figure.
Will my order change because the tables were updated in 2025?
Not automatically. 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.
Does the table amount stop when my child turns 18?
Not automatically. Ontario laws do not set automatic end dates for child support, so support may end on a date or event in the order, or both parties must agree or a judge must decide. For a child at or over the age of majority, the court may order the Guidelines amount or another amount it considers appropriate.
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, R.S.C. 1985, c. 3 (2nd Supp.), s. 15.1 — Justice Laws (federal)
- Ontario.ca – Paying and receiving child and spousal support — ontario.ca
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