Canadian family law · Child support
Split custody child support calculator.
Each parent has the children for most of the time with at least one child. Section 8 sets child support at the difference between what each would otherwise pay.
Inputs
Net child support
Enter both incomes and the children with each parent.
How does split custody child support work in Canada?
Section 8 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines covers families with two or more children where each spouse has the majority of parenting time with one or more of them. The amount of the child support order is the difference between the amount each spouse would otherwise pay if a child support order were sought against each of them. So Parent A's table amount is read for the number of children living with Parent B, Parent B's table amount is read for the number of children living with Parent A, and the smaller is subtracted from the larger.
Worked example. Ontario. Parent A earns $80,000 and has 1 child; Parent B earns $50,000 and has 2 children. A would pay $1,220.00 for the 2 children with B, and B would pay $450.00 for the 1 child with A. The net is $770.00 a month from Parent A.
Section 8 gives the net figure directly, with no extra factors listed. Special expenses under section 7 and undue hardship under section 10 can still apply. Use the shared custody calculator instead if both parents have at least 40% of time with the same child.
Frequently asked questions
What is split parenting time?
Section 8 applies when there are two or more children and each spouse has the majority of parenting time with one or more of them. One parent has some of the children most of the time and the other parent has the rest.
How is split custody child support calculated?
By setting off the two table amounts: the difference between what each parent would pay for the children who live with the other.
Which table does each parent use?
Each parent's own province or territory table under section 3(3). This tool uses one jurisdiction for both parents; for different provinces, run the main child support calculator for each parent and subtract.
How is split custody different from shared custody?
In split parenting each child lives mainly with one parent. In shared parenting time (section 9) the same child spends at least 40% of the year with each parent.
Are section 7 expenses still added?
Yes. Special or extraordinary expenses under section 7 can still be ordered and are shared in proportion to income.
Sources
Checked
- Federal Child Support Guidelines, SOR/97-175 (Justice Laws Website)
- Schedule I, Federal Child Support Tables (in force 1 October 2025)
Section 8 is quoted from the Guidelines and the table amounts come from Schedule I. Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
Not legal advice
Information only, not legal advice. Table amounts are the starting point under section 3 of the Guidelines. The court can order something different for undue hardship, income over $150,000 and other reasons, and special expenses under section 7 are added on top.