Saskatoon Child Support Lawyers Providing Legal Advice to Parents Navigating Child Support Issues

If you are going through a divorce and you have children, you should plan to discuss important family law matters, such as child support. That’s because, in Canada, all children are entitled to be financially supported by their parents. As a result, your divorce typically can’t proceed to the next step until you and your spouse come up with a child support agreement together.

Of course, it’s hard to agree on much when you’re dealing with a highly emotional legal process like divorce. So, if you and your spouse cannot negotiate a child support arrangement that works for both of you, it’s time to reach out to a Saskatoon child support lawyer for legal assistance. At Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation, we have years of experience guiding divorcing spouses toward child support agreements without going to court. Call our law firm today if you’re interested in getting mediation or similar services for this family law matter.

How Is Child Support Calculated?

Child support is intended to help pay for your child’s needs, including food, clothing, and shelter. If you’re wondering how much you can expect to receive in child support payments, the answer is that it depends on a few factors. They typically include:

Your parenting arrangement
Both parent’s income
Cost of living in the province or territory you’re in
How many children you have

These factors are accounted for in the Federal Child Support Guidelines that the government uses to determine the basic child support obligation. So, looking at that table can give you a good idea of how much you can expect to receive or pay for child support. Granted, there are sometimes exceptions to be made, so the amount you see on the table is not always the amount that is appropriate.

That’s why you should contact a Saskatoon family law firm to discuss child support during divorce proceedings. Even with the help of the government’s guidelines, calculating child support is not an easy task, but our team can provide the legal advice you will need to get an accurate idea of the correct amount for your family.

Can Child Support Be Varied?

Sometimes circumstances change over time, resulting in a parent abruptly being unable to pay the minimum amount. Fortunately, it’s possible to vary the child support arrangement as needed, but only for certain reasons.

For instance, if you’re dealing with the sudden loss of your job, you can apply for a variation of your child support, stating that you can no longer afford to pay the amount you used to pay. The same is true if the parenting arrangement changes.

No matter what changes you want to make to child support, you will need to reach an agreement or have a court order that states the new arrangement. So, do not simply stop paying the other parent or start expecting a higher amount of money from the other parent next month. Everything will need to be agreed to or ordered by the court first.

This doesn’t mean you will have to go into a courtroom for your child support case. As long as you and the other parent agree on the new amount, it is possible to create a new child support agreement without court involvement.

Of course, if the other parent refuses to agree to the new child support amount, you may decide to go to mediation and possibly court to make any changes. More complex child support cases like this will need legal guidance from experienced child support lawyers in Saskatoon, so come to our law firm if you encounter problems with your child support arrangement.

What Happens If a Parent Doesn’t Pay?

Not paying child support in Canada is a serious matter. Divorcing your spouse does not mean you can be free of all the financial obligations you had while you were married. You are still expected to contribute to the costs of raising your children, so there are numerous consequences if you do not pay the amount you’re supposed to under the terms of your agreement or court order. If you don’t pay child support as agreed, you could face one or more of these consequences:

Garnishment of your wages
Suspension of your driver’s licence
Suspension of your passport
Garnishment of any federal payments you’re owed, including tax refunds

In some cases, you could even face jail time and fines if you do not pay child support, though this is usually a last resort with child support enforcement efforts. You can avoid these penalties by making sure you pay the amount you agreed to pay or were ordered to pay. If you’re having trouble with the amount, request a variation of the order rather than just not paying.

You should note that even if the other parent is not letting you see your child, you still need to pay child support while getting legal advice from a lawyer. At Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation,our family law practitioners can handle your concerns regarding child support, sole or joint decision-making, parenting arrangements, and other family law matters, so call us today for help.

Do You Need to Talk to Child Support Lawyers in Saskatoon?

If you’re a parent dealing with child support issues, you deserve to get legal guidance and support from lawyers who have handled several cases like yours. At our Saskatoon law firm, we understand just how difficult family law matters are, so we strive to make the legal process easy on you. We know divorce brings out a lot of emotions, and we’re prepared to help you handle them while steering you in the right direction when it comes to family law.

We want to make sure the outcome you get is fair to you and your children, so we will provide you with the legal services you need as you figure out child support and more. Whether you’re seeking assistance with mediation, collaborative law, settlement advocacy, or other options, we’re happy to help. Contact our law firm at 306-518-8107 to set up an initial consultation with friendly, skilled child support lawyers in Saskatoon today.