Children of a divorced or separated couple get the opportunity to live with only one parent at a time, mainly the custodial parent.

But their responsibilities have to be carried out by both the custodial and noncustodial parents. Child support is one of the most important responsibilities of all.

Sometimes parents face difficulties with how child support is calculated, mostly in Alberta, Canada. Although there is an Alberta Child support calculator for this purpose, people often do not know how to calculate the amount. This article focuses on this particular issue in the next sections.

Child Support Guideline in Alberta

Child support is basically the money or the amount that a non-custodial parent gives to the custodial parent for contributing to their child’s basic necessities, such as food, clothing, education, entertainment, and so on.

Custodial and non-custodial parents get decided by the court when a couple intends to become separated.

In Alberta, Canada, the court generally decides the amount of child support depending upon the parent’s monthly income, expenses, child’s standard of living before their parents’ separation and ability.

In some cases, the court observes these issues on both parents but in few cases, on only one parent, which is the child’s non-custodial parent.

If anyone does not want to pay the child support in due time, the court investigates the reason behind the delay first.

If the reason is just negligence and unwillingness, then the court possesses the right to punish that parent and even force them to pay their child support.

Calculating Child Support in Alberta

Every state has some specific laws and regulations for calculating child support. Alberta is not an exception.

Alberta has its own guidelines for calculating child support under the federal law of the state. A child support calculator is the best helpful thing in this regard.

You will find this child support calculator available online. If you use the calculator to calculate your child support, you will face some questions to answer properly.

Basically, the questions are all about your income, your spouse’s income, how many children you have, special expenses for your child, and so on.

Filling up these questions, you can easily calculate your expected child support that is suitable for you.

Child support guideline is applicable for both parents including some particular issues. The main purpose of this child support calculator is only to ensure a child’s safe and secure future when their parents are not living together with them.

Modification in Child Support Amounts

For the sake of the children, parents can alternate and change their parenting time when needed. Even they can make necessary changes in child support amount.

In that sense, the child support amount can be modified. But the fact is, parents must inform the court about the modification and ask permission for the modification.

After reviewing all the necessary issues, the court will surely agree with the parents because the court always tries to do what is best for the children.

Parents can modify the child support amount for the following purposes:

• The medical emergency of the child
• The temporary inability of the non-custodial parent, maybe due to his or her illness or something else
• The temporary inability of the custodial parent who will receive the amount
• Change in the parent’s employment
• Change in need of the children
• Parent’s remarriage and increase in expenses

Special Expenses in Child Support

Child support amount includes extraordinary expenses for the children as well. It is important to calculate the amount for special expenses while calculating the actual child support amount for any parent.

The court also supports these types of expenses as they serve the interests and benefits of the children.

Special expenses are like:

• Medical insurance premiums of the parents which ensures coverage for their children
• Cost of medical treatment of the children that goes beyond $100 and does not get coverage from any insurance
• Extraordinary expenses for higher studies of the children or any special courses
• Expenses for some extracurricular activities of the children
• In some cases, child care gets considered special expenses for the parents.

Conclusion

So, we hope now you understand how child support is calculated in Alberta. Child support guideline is mandatory to maintain for all the parents whoever want to get divorced and separated.

The court always tries to make the future of the children secured. As responsible parents, they have to pay the child support in due time.

See more: What Does Being on Parole Mean?