When parents separate, making sure their children remain financially supported is an important part of moving forward. At the same time, questions about income, parenting arrangements and additional expenses can make child support difficult to resolve.
You may be wondering how much child support should be paid, which expenses are included, what happens if income changes, or whether shared parenting affects the calculation.
Pathfinder Law helps parents understand their rights and obligations under BC family law and work toward practical child support arrangements. Our family lawyers serve clients in Abbotsford, Langley, Chilliwack and throughout the Fraser Valley.
Under British Columbia’s Family Law Act, parents and guardians generally have a legal duty to support their children. Child support can apply whether the parents were married, lived in a common-law relationship, or never lived together.
Child support is commonly addressed as part of the broader issues that arise during separation and divorce, along with parenting arrangements, property division and, where applicable, spousal support.
In BC, child support orders are generally determined in accordance with the Child Support Guidelines.
Some costs may be payable in addition to regular monthly child support. These are often called section 7 expenses or special and extraordinary expenses.
They can include:
The basic monthly amount of child support is usually determined using the applicable Federal Child Support Tables. The calculation considers factors including:
The federal tables were updated effective October 1, 2025, so calculations for current support should use the current tables.
While the table amount is an important starting point, it is not always the end of the calculation. Parenting arrangements, additional expenses, income disputes and other circumstances can affect the amount ultimately payable.
For parents who are also working through disagreements about where their children will live or how parenting time will be divided, those issues may need to be considered alongside the child support matters.
Shared parenting does not necessarily mean that no child support is payable.
Under the Federal Child Support Guidelines, shared parenting generally means each parent exercises at least 40% of the parenting time with a child over the course of a year. In these situations, the calculation considers the table amounts for both parents, the increased costs associated with shared parenting and the circumstances of the parents and child.
Legal advice can be helpful when parents disagree about income, parenting time or the appropriate support amount.
Yes, child support may need to be revisited when circumstances change.
BC’s Family Law Act allows a court, in appropriate circumstances, to change, suspend or terminate an existing child support order, including where there has been a qualifying change in circumstances or new financial information becomes available. Changes can potentially operate prospectively or retroactively.
This can become particularly important where:
Where parents are resolving support through an agreement rather than a court order, child support terms can also form part of a broader separation agreement.
A family lawyer can be particularly helpful when the correct support amount is unclear or the parents cannot agree.
Contact a lawyer for matters involving:
Child support often intersects with several other family law issues. Pathfinder Law considers support within the full context of a separation rather than treating it as an isolated calculation.
Parents and guardians generally have a duty to financially support their children. In many cases, one parent pays support to the other based on the Child Support Guidelines, although the appropriate arrangement depends on factors including income and parenting arrangements.
No. Shared parenting does not automatically eliminate child support. Where each parent has at least 40% of the parenting time, the Guidelines require consideration of both parents' table amounts, the increased costs of shared parenting and the circumstances of the family.
Section 7 expenses are certain special or extraordinary expenses that may be payable in addition to regular child support. Examples can include child care, some health expenses, post-secondary education and qualifying extracurricular costs.
Not always. Under BC's Family Law Act, support can continue for a person who is 19 or older if they are unable, because of illness, disability or another reason, to obtain the necessities of life or withdraw from their parents' or guardians' care.
Parents and guardians generally have a duty to financially support their children. In many cases, one parent pays support to the other based on the Child Support Guidelines, although the appropriate arrangement depends on factors including income and parenting arrangements.
Possibly. A significant change in circumstances, new evidence or previously undisclosed financial information may support an application to change an existing order.
Not every child support matter requires court proceedings. However, a family lawyer can help where income is disputed, parenting is shared, section 7 expenses are involved, circumstances have changed, or you want to understand whether a proposed agreement properly addresses your situation.
Pathfinder Law provides clear, practical family law guidance to parents in Abbotsford, Langley, Chilliwack and communities throughout British Columbia.
Whether you are seeking child support, responding to a request for support, or need to revisit an existing arrangement, our lawyers can help you understand the legal framework and your available options. Services are also available in Punjabi and Hindi.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation is unique. For guidance about your specific circumstances, contact Pathfinder Law for a complimentary consultation.