Easiest Child Support Calculator for Alberta – 2025

Albert Child Support

Child Support, often called child maintenance, is when both parents financially support their child. They agree on a support amount or have the court decide this amount. The court must approve your agreement.

The court uses the formula to calculate the support payment amount. Mostly, the parent spends less parenting time with their child and will pay for this support. In another case, if both parents spend at least 40% of parenting time, the parent with a high gross income according to the formula will pay.

You can use the Child Support Calculator for Alberta to calculate the support amount you will pay or get if you ask the court to decide. (Add Calculator). If the amount both parents agree on differs from what the court will decide, give specific reasons to clarify your point of view.

Getting a Support Order or Agreement

If both parents can’t agree on the support payment amount, apply for it. If you agree on the support amount, create a maintenance agreement or enter the amount in the parenting agreement. 

You can get help to establish child support from some resource

• Parents with low income can contact Child Support Services. Look at the Child Support Services Fact Sheet to get information about the services they offer.
• Parents of all incomes who live in Calgary or Edmonton will check the Child Support Resolution Program to reach an agreement.

Paying and Receiving Child Support

The Maintenance Enforcement Program manages the collection and distribution of child payment support. Registration for MFP is an optional step. When you are interested in getting the payments directly from the payor, don’t register. But if the payor misses the payment amount, you have to register. 

Important Note: If the support recipient also receives income support, Alberta Works will deduct the monthly child support payment from the income support payment.  If the monthly child support amount is more than the income support payment, the person will no longer be eligible for the income support.

Modifying Child Support 

You can ask the court to change the child support order if needed. Child Support Recalculation Program reassesses the parent’s income annually to adjust the child support according to parental income.

Enforcing Child Support

Contact the Maintenance Enforcement program if the payor parent misses child support payment. MEP will withdraw money directly from the payor’s income or suspend their driver’s license, along with other penalties.

In certain situations, the payor’s parents ask for a stay of enforcement. If approved, the payor is given time to pay the child support without penalty. The payor will continue to gather the payments, but MEP will not force them to support during that time.

A payer can claim that financial challenges haven’t allowed him/her to support the overdue amounts; if the court agrees, it may cancel the overdue payments, which means that the payer does not owe any arrears. Keep in mind that the payor is still responsible for ongoing child support.

Child Support Guidelines

Alberta follows two child support guidelines.

• The Alberta Child Support Guidelines for those parents who are not divorcing (separated after marriage) and nonparents who care for their child.
• The Federal Child Support Guidelines for parents who are divorced.

Both support guidelines follow the same formula to determine the child support amounts. You can also use Alberta’s Child Support table, on which the formula depends.

Difference Between the Child Support Guidelines

Alberta’s Child Support Guidelines changed from the Federal Child Support Guidelines in four ways.

Alberta Child Support Guidelines	Federal Child Support Guidelines
Who can apply for Child Support
It allows anyone with a child in their care to apply for monthly child support.	It only allows parents to apply for it.
Criteria for Non-Parents Paying Child Support
Alberta Guidelines explain standing in place of a parent obligates a nonparent to pay support.	It mentions that the spouse who is the non-biological parent but still acts as a parent may need to pay child support, but it depends on the court if both parents can’t agree.
Child Support For Adult Children
It claims that payment will continue even after 18 years of age if a child is a full-time student and will end once they reach 22	It allows support to continue for adult children as long as they are unable to bear their expenses due to disability, illness, or other reasons. Judges consider school enrollment a valid reason unless a child completes a post-secondary degree.
Special Expenses
It allows parents to calculate their expected expenditures on special expenses like childcare costs.	It allows them to estimate the exact amount of special expenses.

FAQS

From which sources can I get Alberta Child Support Information?

• You can get data available online and at Alberta courthouses. 
• The Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench publishes a general guide for child support.
• The Alberta Family Law Information Centre helps you with family law matters, like child support.
•  Alberta Maintenance Enforcement Program supports the enforcement and collection of child support payments. 

How are child support payments calculated in Alberta?

The support amount in the guideline tables depends on the payor’s gross income. Table amounts already consider income reduction including taxes and special expenses to access the child.

What happens when parents don’t pay child support in Alberta?

MEP gives different methods to recover your undue payment such as garnishing your bank account or seizing property. Furthermore, non-payment can lead to penalties like added legal fees and interest in undue payments, increasing the final pressure.

Conclusion

The child support calculator for Alberta allows you to estimate the child support payment simply by entering your income, parenting time, and required information. Child support will be beneficial for your child to fulfill their needs. If the payor parent will not pay the child support, he/she has to go through penalties.