Both parents have a responsibility to financially support their children. If you do not have custody, the amount of child support you must pay is based on your income and the number of children.

Support amounts

Child support checklist

Lists what information you need to determine the amount of child support under the child support guidelines

Federal child support guidelines workbook

Explains how child support is calculated in a step-by-step manner

Child support tables

Shows the basic child support payment under the Child Support Guidelines. The Guidelines have been amended to update the child support tables effective December 31, 2011. More information is available here.

Child Support and the Child Support Guidelines (CLEO)

This booklet explains how child support is calculated and enforced

Ontario 1–800 line

Call 1–800–980–4962 for general information about the child support guidelines

Proof of Income

If you pay child support or if your income is required to calculate a child support amount, you must provide proof of your income to the other parent.  Under the Child Support Guidelines, that must include copies of the following documents:

• Income Tax Returns for each of the past three years;
• Notices of Assessment and Reassessment for each of those years
• Your most recent statement of earnings or confirmation of income from your employer if you are an employee;
• If you are self-employed or control a corporation, the businesses’ financial statement and a statement showing all wages and other similar payments;If you receive employment insurance, social assistance, a pension, worker’s compensation or disability payment, documentation of that income; and,
• Information relating to the income of a trust where you are a beneficiary under a trust.

If you are involved in a family court case, you should review rule 13(6) and 13(7) of the Family Law Rules to make sure that you have provided the other party with the necessary disclosure of your income.  You should also review the family court forms for each step in the proceeding to make sure that you have filed the necessary documents with the court.

Updated Income Information

Once child support is in place, any person whose income was required to calculate child support must provide updated documentation of their income to the other party each year within 30 days of the anniversary of the court order or separation agreement that sets out the support payment, unless the parties have agreed not to do so in writing. This is done by sending a copy of the most recent Income Tax Return and Notice of Assessment to the other party.

In addition, either party can always request income disclosure from the other once a year, as long as his or her income was required to calculate the amount of child support. Once a request for income disclosure is made, all of the documents listed in the section titled "Proof of Income" must be provided, including Income Tax Returns and Notices of Assessment for the past three years. Read answers to common questions about these new rules.

Basic Forms

To apply to obtain support

If you want to apply to obtain support, you will need to complete:

• an Application (Form 8), and
• a Financial Statement ( Form 13, Support Claims or Form 13.1, Property and Support Claims)

These and other family court forms are available at ontariocourtforms.on.ca/english/family. You can also get help completing these and other commonly used family court forms at the Forms Assistant.

To apply for a change in a support order or agreement

The process for motions to change has changed effective September 1st, 2008, and depends on whether the parties both agree to the change that has been requested. For more information about the documents that must be filed in order to change a final order for support or a support clause in an agreement, click here or read the Ministry’s Guides to Motions to Change.

Websites with more forms

Ontario Courts Forms website

Includes all of the forms that are available under the Family Law Rules

Forms on the Family Responsibility Office website

Includes forms that are required to assist with the enforcement of a support order

For more information

The Family Responsibility Office (FRO) website

Contains information regarding enforcement child support in Ontario. The FRO ensures that support payments are collected, and helps individuals meet their support obligations
Also provides information on what to do when one of the parents does not live in Ontario and child support is being requested or changed

What Should I Do If I Have Received a Notice of Default Hearing

What Should I Do If I Want to Keep My Driver's Licence

Contact the Federal Department of Justice

Call 1–888–373–2222 or go to the Department of Justice website for answers to common questions about the guidelines and how they work