Services During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Please be advised that in response to the threat posed by Covid-19, the offices of RV Law LLP have implemented protocol to keep the physical premises sanitized and to supply our staff with necessary personal protective equipment. For the safety and well being of our staff and the general public, we are providing services by adopting government recommended social distancing efforts and, to this end, we are meeting clients through a combination of telephone, other electronic means and in-person only when necessary.

We are confident in our ability to continue servicing all existing and new client matters during these challenging times and invite you to email or call our firm with any questions or concerns you may have.

Toronto Child Support Lawyers

At RV Law, we are keenly aware that the Canadian family and what constitutes a normal parenting arrangement is changing and the family law courts are quickly adapting to these changing dynamics as well. If you have children and are contemplating separating from your spouse or common-law partner, or if you are a single parent and need some certainty or predictability respecting the role of each parent in the lives of your children, then you will most certainly be concerned with the custody and support of your children, as well as what access or time sharing arrangements would be in your children’s best interests.We work with parents throughout Ontario who are concerned for the welfare of their children. If you need compassionate counsel, yet assertive representation, contact us today to schedule an initial consultation at our Toronto law office.

Our Toronto child support lawyers can help you properly calculate each parent’s income, especially the income of the parent who will be making child support payments, to determine the appropriate amount of child support to be paid and each parent’s share of any special expenses for the children. We look to the current Child Support Guidelines, which are formulated based on the payor’s income and the number of children entitled to support, and take other relevant factors into consideration, such as the children’s accustomed lifestyle, to calculate the appropriate amount of monthly child support. Other factors that can affect child support calculations often include:

  • Health care costs for the children
  • Day care expenses
  • The cost of extracurricular activities for the children
  • The cost of education, including tuition, books, fees and residence
  • The cost of meeting any special needs that the children may have, such as dietary restrictions

Once an amount is determined, parents must continue to make ongoing annual disclosure of their income to ensure that the children continue to receive the correct amount of support based on the payor’s income and to ensure that any expenses that are shared by the parents continue to be shared proportionate to their respective incomes.

Enforce or Modify Child Support

If a parent’s income fluctuates or changes substantially, whether there be an increase or a decrease in that income as a result of a promotion or conversely a termination of that parent’s employment, it may be necessary to change an existing agreement or order for child support. We can help you apply to vary a child support order, or to oppose an application made by the other parent for a variation of child support if you do not agree that the circumstances warrant such a change. For instance, if a parent refuses to pay the ordered child support or fails to disclose his or her increased income in an effort to keep the child support payments low, that parent can be held accountable. If you would like to seek child support for your children or a modification of an existing agreement or order for child support, our lawyers are here to help.

Helping Parties Reach Fair Child Custody Arrangements

Together with negotiating child support agreements and obtaining orders for support, we can also help you resolve issues concerning which parent will be responsible, whether in whole or in part, for making the important decisions concerning the health, education, religion, socialization and welfare of the children. Most parents mistake custody for residence of the children. Normally, a parent with sole custody of the children is the parent who has the exclusive right to make decisions concerning the children and as a result, the children normally reside with that parent. The other parent would have the right to information converning the children and to spend time with the children. In a joint custodial arrangement, both parents make decisions concerning the children together but the children may still only reside with one parent and share time with the other parent. In a shared custody arrangement, both parents have the right to make decisions concerning the children in their care and the children spend almost an equal amount of time with both parents, often sharing residences.

We can help you decide which parenting arrangement would be best for the children, whether it be an arrangement that has one parent making decisions or both parents making decisions together. We can tailor these arrangements to meet the individual needs of the family, since no two families are alike, and to grow with the family as it restructures itself. We can assist parents in reaching agreements based on the appropriate parenting arrangement for the children or can put a parent’s proposal for such an arrangement before the courts, if it cannot be negotiated with the other parent. The courts need to be assured by both parents that they have a clear plan for the continued care of the children and for the sharing of both responsibilities towards and time with the children so that the children are able to maintain their relationships with both parents, where it is in their best interests to do so.

Need Help? Contact RV Law.

For more information regarding our family law and divorce services in Toronto, contact RV Law and schedule an initial consultation. Call our office toll free at 416-364-5200.

Don’t risk losing your rights by waiting too long to seek help. Contact us now:

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