Experienced legal guidance to navigate the complexities of support orders.
When families separate in Alberta, ensuring the financial well-being of children, and, in some cases, a former spouse, is a key consideration of the courts. Calculating support payments is often a complex process, particularly when it comes to spousal support payments.
Child support is designed to help cover the costs of raising children, while spousal support addresses economic imbalances raised from the breakdown of a marital relationship. These support payments are paid by one former partner to the other.
Mincher Koeman offers dedicated guidance in determining eligibility and calculations for support payments. We provide:
Determining eligibility for spousal support in Alberta involves careful consideration of factors outlined in the Divorce Act.
Courts assess the economic advantages or disadvantages that spouses experienced as a result of the marriage, the financial consequences of caring for children, and the need to alleviate any economic hardship arising from the breakdown of the relationship. The length of the marriage and the roles each spouse played are significant considerations in determining both entitlement and amount of spousal support.
There are two categories of expenses child support is meant to cover: basic expenses related to food, clothing, and shelter, and special and extraordinary (known as Section 7 expenses), such as childcare expenses, medical and dental insurance premiums, post-secondary education, and extracurricular activities.
Unfortunately there is no way of knowing. If your child is appropriate fed, clothed, and has a comfortable home, it’s safe to assume that child support payments are being spent properly.
The amount and duration of spousal support depends on the length of your marriage, as well as each spouse’s earning potential, needs, and financial means. Judges often sue guidelines set out in the federal Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines to determine calculations; however, these guidelines are not law and judges have discretion to deviate from them.
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