CHILD SUPPORT MYTHS DE-BUNKED:
MYTH #1. “My one night stand got pregnant-she told me she was on the pill. She can’t come after me for child support.”
TRUTH: Every parent has financial responsibility for their children, regardless of how they were conceived. Every child has the right to be supported.
MYTH #2. “No one is going to tell me how much child support I need to pay.”
TRUTH: Federal Child Support Guidelines set out the amount of child support payable, based on the parent’s income and the number of children. Deviation from the range of recommended amounts in the Federal Child Support Guidelines is rare.
MYTH #3. “I don’t get to see the kids so I don’t have to pay any child support.” Or “He can only see the kids if he pays child support.”
TRUTH: A child has the right to have a relationship with both parents, and to be financially supported. Preventing a child from spending time with the other parent because support has not been paid, or vice versa, punishes the child twice. This is the way a judge would view the situation.
MYTH #4. “If my ex can afford to go on fancy holidays, then I don’t need to pay child support.”
TRUTH: Child support is based on calculations of how much a parent, at a certain income level, would spend on a child, including food, shelter, clothing, recreation, entertainment, and vacations. These calculations form the basis of the Child Support Guidelines Tables.
MYTH #5. “I can stop paying child support when my child turns 19”.
TRUTH: Child support in B.C. may continue to be payable for children over the age of 19 if they are still attending school, or have an illness or disability. In these cases, the child continues to be dependant on parents.
SOURCE: Family Matters, Government of Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice.
Jayne Embree, M.A.
Jayne holds a Masters in Psychology and is a highly experienced Divorce Coach and Child Specialist. She is currently working with the Administrative and Human Resources Departments of Butterfield Law.