Child Support in Alberta

Child support in Alberta can be dealt with at the same time as filing for a divorce, or, if the parties are not ready to proceed with the divorce, then it can be dealt with separately. Child support in Alberta is calculated using a "Table look-up" which is based on the Federal Child Support Guidelines and takes income, parenting arrangements and number of children into consideration. If one party is not cooperating in providing their income, then child support can be calculated by using alternative methods.

Child support is mandatory in Alberta, however, it can be reserved, or departed from as long as both parties are in a mutual agreement.

Whether going through a separation or not, if you and your spouse are ready to address child support in an open and amicable way, contact DivorceEZ as an alternative to going through child support services in Alberta, or the court system. We can help you obtain a Court Child Support Order along with a Court Parenting Order, in a quick and affordable manner.

Parenting

When there are dependent children of the relationship, parenting arrangements can be dealt with in a Separation Agreement and/or in the Divorce application; Parenting arrangements in Alberta may include matters such as parenting schedule, access, visitation, contact time, holidays, mobility, travel, decision making responsibilities, and furthermore can be discussed and outlined.

Having a written parenting plan minimizes any future disputes that may arise between the parties as they have an agreement to fall back on. The Alberta Courts mandate keeping the children's best interest in mind and it is important for parents to follow the same. If you need help in completing a parenting arrangement between you and the other party, then contact us today to get started!

Need help on negotiating parenting plans?

Mediation is a highly effective resource when parties are not able to reach an agreement themselves in regards to their children, and require the assistance of a third-party .

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Do you have children under the age of 16?

When filing for a divorce in Alberta, one of the court requirements to officiate the divorce is to complete the Parenting After Separation (PAS) course, which has now become a free online course. The course takes approximately 1-3 hours to complete, and a certificate of completion will be provided to you which must be packaged along with the divorce documents.

You can complete and receive your PAS certification here at:

PAS course

DivorceEZ recommends couples determine their childrens' outcomes, with regards to custody, access and visitation.

* If an agreement between the individuals has not occurred and there is a willingness to come to a resolution, DivorceEZ is able to assist in the process with mediation.

Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP)

Not receiving support payments?

To register with the Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP), you must live in Alberta, have a court order on support, and be the recipient or payor of the order.

If you have a court order to collect child support and/or spousal/partner support and you are not receiving your payments, then the creditor (recipient of support) can apply with MEP to collect the amounts owing within the order from the debtor (payor of support).

MEP will continue with such enforcement until the timeline of the order is no longer valid, or once the registered party gives notice in writing of a withdrawal.

If you are not receiving the amounts owing and therefore need to apply with the Maintenance Enforcement Program, give DivorceEZ a call and we can take care of your application.

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The Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) can only enforce the outstanding payments once a court order has been issued.

If you do not have a court order for child support or spousal/partner support, then please contact us to assist you in obtaining an order.

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