How Much Child Support Will I Pay in Ontario in 2026?

Child support in Ontario in 2026 is generally calculated using the applicable Federal Child Support Table, based mainly on the paying parent’s annual income, the number of children and the applicable province. Parenting arrangements, Section 7 expenses, variable income and other circumstances can change the final amount payable.

The current tables used for support owing in 2026 are officially called the 2025 Federal Child Support Tables. They took effect on October 1, 2025. Justice Canada directs parents to use these updated tables for support amounts payable from that date onward.

The table figure is an important starting point, but it is not always the complete child support obligation. Special or extraordinary expenses, shared parenting arrangements and income issues can result in a different final calculation.

For many parents, calculating Child Support in Ontario begins with a relatively straightforward table calculation. The process becomes more detailed when income is disputed, parenting time is shared or additional expenses must be considered.

What Determines the Basic Monthly Child Support Amount?

A practical starting process is:

1. Determine the paying parent’s annual income for child support purposes.
2. Confirm the number of children for whom support is being calculated.
3. Identify the applicable provincial or territorial table.
4. Find the monthly table amount.
5. Consider the parenting arrangement.
6. Determine whether qualifying Section 7 expenses apply.
7. Review whether income or other circumstances require an adjustment.

Justice Canada’s child support table lookup uses three key inputs for the base table calculation: the number of children, the province or territory where the paying parent lives, and the paying parent’s before-tax annual income.

For example, if the paying parent lives in Ontario, the Ontario table normally provides the relevant starting amount. However, the correct income figure must first be established.

Which Child Support Tables Apply in Ontario in 2026?

Ontario parents calculating current support in 2026 should use the 2025 Federal Child Support Tables for amounts owing from October 1, 2025 onward. The Federal Child Support Guidelines are current to June 17, 2026 and were last amended on October 1, 2025.

This distinction matters because there is not currently a separately named “2026 Federal Child Support Table.”

The updated 2025 tables replaced the previous tables for current calculations beginning October 1, 2025. If someone is calculating support for a period between November 22, 2017 and September 30, 2025, Justice Canada directs them to the 2017 tables instead.

Using an outdated table can therefore produce the wrong estimate.

2026 Ontario Child Support Table Examples

The following examples use the current Ontario Federal Child Support Table. They assume:

• the paying parent lives in Ontario;
• the annual income is exactly the amount shown;
• ordinary table support applies;
• there is no shared or split parenting adjustment;
• no Section 7 expenses have been added; and
• there is no dispute about the income figure.

The current Ontario table confirms monthly basic amounts of $450 for one child and $744 for two children at an exact annual income of $50,000. At $75,000, the corresponding basic amounts are $695 and $1,144.

At an exact annual income of $100,000, the Ontario table lists $932 per month for one child and $1,517 per month for two children.

These examples show two important points. First, the table amount generally increases as the paying parent’s income rises. Second, the number of children also affects the monthly amount.

However, these are table child support examples only. They do not include Section 7 expenses and should not be treated as a final calculation for every parent.

Can I Rely on a Child Support Calculator in Ontario?

An online child support calculator in Ontario can be useful for obtaining an initial table estimate. It should not automatically be treated as the legally required final payment.

Justice Canada itself describes its lookup tool as a way to identify the base amount of child support. It specifically warns that the base amount is often not the final amount payable. Childcare expenses or shared parenting arrangements are examples of circumstances that can alter the calculation.

A simple calculator may also be insufficient when dealing with:

• bonuses or commissions;
• fluctuating income;
• self-employment;
• corporate income;
• disputed financial disclosure;
• shared parenting;
• qualifying Section 7 expenses;
• income that may need to be imputed; or
• other unusual financial circumstances.

For that reason, the reliability of any table estimate depends heavily on using the correct income figure.

What Income Is Used to Calculate Child Support in Ontario?

Income for child support purposes can be more complicated than looking at a salary or the amount deposited into a parent’s bank account each month.

Under the Federal Child Support Guidelines, annual income is generally determined using the income sources listed under “Total income” on the T1 income tax return, with adjustments required by the Guidelines. The Guidelines also allow different approaches where the basic calculation would not fairly reflect the parent’s income.

Is Child Support Based on Gross Income or Take-Home Pay?

Child support is not normally calculated from a parent’s after-tax take-home pay.

For a straightforward salaried employee, gross annual employment income may provide an easy starting point. Legally, however, the relevant figure is the parent’s annual income determined under sections 15 to 20 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines.

Section 16 starts with the income sources shown under Total income on the T1 General tax return and then applies the adjustments required by Schedule III.

This is why simply multiplying a weekly paycheque by 52, or using the amount left after taxes and deductions, may not produce the correct Guidelines income.

Do Bonuses, Overtime and Commissions Count?

Bonuses, overtime, commissions and other variable compensation may be relevant when determining annual income.

The Guidelines allow a court to consider income from the previous three years when using only one year would not produce the fairest result because of an income pattern, fluctuations or a non-recurring amount.

For example, assume a parent earns a base salary of $80,000 but regularly receives a significant annual performance bonus.

Using only the $80,000 salary could understate the income available for child support if the bonus forms a recurring part of the parent’s compensation. The appropriate calculation would require reviewing the actual income records and the pattern over time.

The same issue can arise with regular overtime or commission-based employment.

Current financial disclosure can therefore be important. For employees, the Guidelines require the most recent statement of earnings showing year-to-date earnings, including overtime, or equivalent information from the employer where applicable.

How Is Self-Employment or Business Income Treated?

Self-employment often requires more analysis than regular salaried employment.

A business owner may report taxable income that does not fully show the money potentially available for child support. Certain business deductions may also be treated differently for child support purposes than they are for income tax purposes.

Where a parent is a shareholder, director or officer of a corporation and reported annual income does not fairly reflect all money available for child support, the Guidelines allow a court to consider all or part of the corporation’s pre-tax income or an amount reflecting the parent’s services to the corporation, subject to the applicable rules.

Additional disclosure may therefore be needed, including:

• business financial statements;
• corporate financial statements;
• information about salaries or management fees;
• payments to non-arm’s-length persons; and
• other records showing money available through the business.

For self-employed parents, the Guidelines require specified business financial information for the three most recent taxation years. Similar disclosure applies where a parent controls a corporation.

Can Income Be Imputed for Child Support?

Yes. In some circumstances, a court can assign or impute income rather than relying only on the income figure claimed by a parent.

Examples listed in the Federal Child Support Guidelines include situations where a parent:

• is intentionally unemployed or underemployed, subject to stated exceptions;
• diverts income in a way that affects support;
• fails to provide income information despite a legal obligation;
• unreasonably deducts expenses from income;
• does not reasonably use property to generate income; or
• receives significant income from sources taxed differently from ordinary employment income.

The Guidelines also make clear that a business expense is not automatically reasonable for child support purposes merely because it is permitted as an income-tax deduction.

This can become particularly important when one parent believes the other parent’s tax return does not reflect their real earning capacity or financial resources. Evidence may also become relevant when attempting to prove hidden income in divorce proceedings.

What Documents Do I Need to Estimate Child Support?

Before estimating child support, gather current financial information rather than relying on an old salary figure.

Depending on the circumstances, useful documents may include:

• the three most recent income tax returns;
• Notices of Assessment and reassessment;
• a current pay statement showing year-to-date earnings;
• overtime records;
• bonus and commission information;
• self-employment financial statements;
• corporate financial statements where applicable;
• information about other income sources;
• the current parenting schedule; and
• records relating to possible Section 7 expenses.

The Federal Child Support Guidelines specifically require tax assessments and, depending on the type of income, current employment information and additional business or corporate disclosure.

Having accurate income information is essential because even a correct Ontario child support table will produce an unreliable estimate if the wrong annual income is entered.

What Can Change the Ontario Child Support Table Amount?

The monthly table amount is often the starting point, not necessarily the complete child support calculation. Parenting arrangements, Section 7 special or extraordinary expenses, higher incomes and other circumstances can affect how much is ultimately payable.

Does Shared Parenting Reduce Child Support in Ontario?

Shared parenting does not automatically eliminate child support or reduce the payment to zero.

Under section 9 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines, shared parenting time applies when each parent exercises at least 40% of parenting time with a child over the course of a year. When that threshold is met, the amount must take into account:

• the table amounts for both parents;
• the increased costs associated with shared parenting; and
• the conditions, means, needs and other circumstances of each parent and the child.

This means a simple mathematical “set-off” is not necessarily the final answer.

For example, suppose Parent A earns $100,000 and Parent B earns $60,000, and both have at least 40% of the parenting time. Their respective table amounts are relevant, but the analysis does not stop by simply subtracting one table amount from the other.

The actual costs of the shared arrangement and the financial circumstances of the parents and child must also be considered.

As a result, having the children approximately half the time should not be assumed to mean that neither parent will pay child support.

What Is Split Parenting Time?

Split parenting time is different from shared parenting.

It can arise when there are at least two children and each parent has the majority of parenting time with one or more of those children.

Under section 8 of the Guidelines, the support amount is determined by calculating what each parent would otherwise pay and taking the difference between those amounts.

For example, one child might primarily live with Parent A while another primarily lives with Parent B. Both parents’ incomes and the applicable table amounts would then be relevant.

Are Section 7 Expenses Included in Monthly Child Support?

Section 7 special or extraordinary expenses can be payable in addition to regular table child support.

These expenses are not automatically included in the monthly table figure.

Depending on the circumstances, qualifying expenses can include:

• childcare required because of employment, illness, disability, education or employment training;
• the child’s portion of medical or dental insurance premiums;
• certain uninsured health-related expenses;
• extraordinary primary or secondary school expenses;
• post-secondary education expenses; and
• extraordinary extracurricular activity expenses.

Not every expense for a child automatically qualifies as a Section 7 expense. The Guidelines require consideration of the expense’s necessity in relation to the child’s best interests and its reasonableness in light of the family’s financial circumstances and spending pattern before separation.

For qualifying expenses, the guiding principle is generally that the cost is shared in proportion to the parents’ respective incomes after deducting any contribution from the child. Relevant subsidies, benefits and tax consequences must also be considered.

A simplified example might look like this:

Monthly table child support

+ payer’s share of a qualifying Section 7 childcare expense

= broader child support obligation

The actual amount requires the parents’ incomes and the net cost of the qualifying expense.

What Happens When Income Is Above $150,000?

Income above $150,000 requires additional attention under the Federal Child Support Guidelines.

It does not mean that child support stops increasing once income reaches $150,000.

Under section 4, the usual Guidelines amount may still apply. If a court considers that amount inappropriate, however, the Guidelines provide a separate approach involving:

• the applicable table amount for the first $150,000 of income;
• an appropriate amount for income above $150,000 after considering the children’s circumstances and each parent’s ability to contribute; and
• any applicable Section 7 expenses.

The $150,000 threshold therefore signals that the calculation may require closer analysis. It is not a maximum income for child support purposes.

Can Other Circumstances Produce a Different Child Support Amount?

Yes. The Guidelines contain other provisions that can affect the ordinary table calculation.

For example, a court may order a different amount where the strict Guidelines calculation would cause undue hardship, but meeting that test requires more than simply showing that support is expensive. The Guidelines identify particular circumstances and also require a comparison of the households’ standards of living.

Different considerations can also apply where a child has reached the age of majority. The Guidelines generally start by applying the usual calculation, but another amount may be considered where that approach would be inappropriate in the circumstances of the adult child.

These exceptions are another reason an online table figure should be treated as an estimate rather than a guaranteed final payment. A Toronto divorce lawyer can help review how the applicable rules may affect a particular child support calculation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is child support in Ontario based on gross or net income?

Child support generally uses annual income determined under the Federal Child Support Guidelines, not simply take-home pay. Tax-return income may require specific adjustments.

Does a 50/50 parenting schedule mean I pay no child support?

No. If each parent has at least 40% parenting time, both table amounts, shared-parenting costs and the family’s circumstances must be considered.

Can child support increase if I receive a large bonus?

Potentially. Bonuses can affect Guidelines income, particularly when they form part of recurring compensation or reflect an established pattern of earnings.

Are Section 7 expenses paid on top of regular child support?

Yes, qualifying Section 7 special or extraordinary expenses may be added separately to table support and are generally shared according to the Guidelines.

Can child support in Ontario continue after a child turns 18?

Yes. Turning 18 does not automatically end child support. The Guidelines contain specific rules for children who have reached the age of majority.

Child Support Pay