Child support follows a formula, not a fight.
In Ontario, child support is set by federal tables based on the payor's income — it's the child's right, it can't simply be waived, and it doesn't automatically end at 18. Here's how it's calculated and enforced.
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In 30 seconds, here's what's true
- Child support is the right of the child. Parents generally cannot agree to waive it, and a court won't simply rubber-stamp an agreement that gives a child less than the guidelines provide.
- The basic 'table amount' is set by the payor's gross annual income and the number of children, using the Federal Child Support Guidelines. New tables took effect October 1, 2025.
- On top of the table amount, 'special or extraordinary expenses' — child care, health costs, post-secondary — are shared between parents in proportion to their incomes.
- Child support does not automatically stop at 18. It continues for a child still in full-time school or unable to support themselves because of a disability.
- Child support is not taxable for the person receiving it and not deductible for the person paying it.
How the process works
Find the payor's income and the table amount
Use the payor's gross annual income (Line 15000 of their tax return) and the number of children. Look up the amount with the federal Child Support look-up tool, using the 2025 tables for any amount from October 1, 2025 onward.
Add any special expenses
List section 7 expenses — child care, medical and dental costs, post-secondary, big-ticket extracurriculars — and split them in proportion to each parent's income, after subsidies and tax credits.
Account for parenting time
If each parent has the child at least 40% of the time, support is usually a set-off — the higher earner pays the difference between the two table amounts. Below 40%, the table amount applies.
Make it official
Put it in a court order, a written agreement, or use Ontario's online Child Support Service. The online service costs $80 each time and the other parent must respond within 25 days.
Register with FRO and update when income changes
Court orders and online calculations go to the Family Responsibility Office for enforcement. If income changes, apply to change the amount — it doesn't drop on its own. Start a free PLAIN session to plan it.
What to do next
- Get the payor's gross annual income (Line 15000).
- Look up the table amount using the 2025 federal tables.
- List section 7 special expenses and each parent's share.
- Check whether parenting time crosses the 40% line.
- Choose: court order, written agreement, or the online service.
- Make sure the order is registered with FRO for enforcement.
- If income changes, apply to change the amount — don't just stop.
- Start a free PLAIN session to map out your support question.
Common myths
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| If we both agree, we can skip child support. | No. Support is the child's right, not the parents' to trade away, and courts won't approve shortchanging a child. |
| Child support stops automatically at 18. | It doesn't. It continues for a child in full-time school or unable to be self-sufficient due to a disability. |
| If I lose my job, the support amount just drops. | No. You must apply to change the order. Until you do, arrears keep building at the old amount. |
| The parent receiving support has to account for how it's spent. | There's no requirement to account for ordinary child support spending. |
| I can stop paying if I'm denied parenting time. | Support and parenting time are separate. Withholding support is not a remedy and can trigger enforcement. |
| Child support is taxable income. | It is not taxable to the recipient and not deductible by the payor. |
| The old support tables still apply. | For amounts from October 1, 2025 onward, use the updated 2025 federal tables. |
| FRO can lower the amount I owe if I ask nicely. | FRO only enforces the order — it can't change the amount. To change it you need a new order or agreement. |
Last reviewed June 2026
Written and reviewed by the founder of PLAIN, checked against primary government and legal sources. How we research these guides
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PLAIN gives legal information, not legal advice. It is not a substitute for a lawyer or paralegal — and we'll point you to free ones. Laws change; we review these pages regularly, but always confirm current rules with a licensed professional.
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