Shared Parenting time

If your child lives with you and your partner for about the same amount of time over the year, this kind of parenting arrangement is called shared parenting time. This used to be called shared care or shared custody.

This mean the child spends at least 40% of their time with each parent. Time is generally calculated by counting the number of hours the parent is responsible for the child, not the number of hours the parent is physically with the child.

For example, the time the child is at swimming lessons or school goes to the parent who is responsible for the child during that time.

The court usually decides the amount of child support by first looking at the table amount for each parent based on their gross annual income. Gross income means income before taxes and most other deductions. There are 2 ways to find this amount:

• Look at line 150 income on the income tax return or notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency.
• Look at pay stubs for a full year and add up the earnings before deductions.

There is an online calculator at the Child Support Table Look-up that can help you figure out the table amount of child support.

Usually, the court then subtracts the smaller amount from the larger amount. This amount is called the set off. The parent who would pay more in child support pays the set-off to the parent who would pay less in child support.

The court may also take into account the increased costs of shared parenting time on each parent, and the situation of each parent to meet those costs when deciding child support.

Example: George and Eva have shared parenting time of their daughter. George's gross income is $70,000. Eva's gross income is $40,000.