Kids

A Parenting Coordinator (PC) is a neutral professional (often used after mediation) who helps parents manage day-to-day conflicts about the parenting schedule. They have the power to make minor "arbitrated" decisions if parents can't agree on things like a specific...

Support is based on the Federal Child Support Tables (updated Oct 2025). The amount is determined by the paying parent's "gross" annual income and the number of children. It is a strictly "no-fault" payment designed to ensure the children benefit from the financial...

Section 7 expenses are "add-ons" to the basic monthly support. These include childcare (daycare), medical/dental premiums, orthodontic braces, and post-secondary tuition. These costs are usually shared between parents "proportionately to their incomes"—meaning if one...

Shared parenting (where each parent has at least 40% time) does not mean "no support." In most cases, the "set-off" method applies: you calculate what each parent would pay the other, and the higher earner pays the difference. This ensures the children have a similar...

At Legal Boutique, we facilitate virtual sessions where you decide on daily schedules, holiday rotations, and decision-making for the kids. We draft these into a formal "Parenting Plan" that is clear, predictable, and focused on reducing transition stress for the...

Decision-Making Responsibility (formerly custody) is about the big-picture choices: health care, education, and religion. Parenting Time (formerly access) is the actual schedule of when the kids are with you. Most amicable couples choose "Joint Decision-Making" but...

A good agreement eliminates annual "negotiations." We help you set a fixed rotation (e.g., Parent A has the first half of Christmas in even years). We also include a "Right of First Refusal," meaning if a parent can't be with the kids for a long period, they must...

Support usually continues past age 18 if a child is a "dependent," which almost always includes being enrolled in a full-time university or college program. Support generally continues until the child completes their first undergraduate degree, provided they are...

Entitlement isn't automatic. It's based on: Compensatory (you stayed home to raise kids/support their career), Non-compensatory (you have financial need following the split), or Contractual (your marriage contract says so). We use the Spousal Support Advisory...

The duration is typically linked to the length of the marriage. A common range is 0.5 to 1 year of support for every year of marriage. If the marriage lasted 20+ years, or if the "Rule of 65" is met (age + years of marriage = 65), support may be indefinite (ongoing).

This is a "Relocation" under the Divorce Act. The moving parent must provide at least 60 days' written notice. If the move would significantly impact the other parent's relationship with the child, and you cannot agree in mediation, a judge must decide based on the...

We look past the "reported" income on a tax return. We may "impute" or add back certain business expenses—like a personal vehicle or home office—that provide a personal benefit. This ensures the child support amount reflects the parent's actual "spending power" rather...

Yes. Parenting plans are "living documents." As kids grow from toddlers to teens, their needs change. You can sign a simple "Amending Agreement" (also mediated and witnessed) that updates your schedule or support amounts without needing a judge to sign off on it.

No. Your obligation to support your child is based on your own income, not that of a new spouse or partner. A new partner's income only becomes relevant in rare "undue hardship" cases where one household is significantly struggling compared to the other.

We typically agree that parents will contribute to "post-secondary costs"—tuition, books, and residence—in proportion to their incomes at the time the child attends school. We also define how much the child is expected to contribute through summer jobs or RESP...