The parent who has custody of you gets money from your other parent to help pay for things you need. This money is called “child support.”
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Caution! This article might not apply to you if your parents don’t live in Quebec anymore. |
What does child support cover?
Child support covers your basic needs, including the following:
- food
- a place to live
- telecommunications
- housekeeping
- personal care
- clothes
- furniture
- transportation
- activities
Support payments can also cover other important needs, including these needs:
- private school
- glasses
- braces
- karate lessons
- summer camp
If your parents don’t agree on which expenses child support should cover, they can ask a judge to decide.
How is the amount of child support decided?
The law says what the minimum amount of child support should be. Besides your needs, other factors help to decide the amount of the support:
- the salary and other sources of income of the parent who pays child support
- how many children are in your family and the needs of each one
Since the amount of support is based in part on the income of your parents, you don’t have to worry that they might have financial trouble because they are paying support to cover things you need.
When does child support end?
You might be wondering if the parent who is paying your child support can stop paying when you turn 18. The answer is no.
Child support isn’t automatically cancelled on your 18th birthday. The parent who pays has to go to court to cancel or decrease the support payments.