The 7 Most Common Child Support Conversations in Mediation

1. How Is the Base Child Support Amount Calculated?

This is almost always the first question. In Alberta, child support follows the Federal Child Support Guidelines, which base the monthly amount on:

• The paying parent's gross annual income
• The number of children involved
• The province of residence (Alberta has its own table amounts)

Parents often come into mediation confused or misinformed about what they're "supposed" to pay. A skilled divorce mediator doesn't provide legal advice, but they do help both parties understand the framework so the conversation can move forward on solid ground.

One important nuance: the Guidelines provide a starting point, not necessarily a final number. Mediation allows parents to discuss adjustments that reflect their actual financial situation something a courtroom rarely accommodates.

2. What Counts as a Special or Extraordinary Expense?

Beyond the base amount, child support in Alberta often includes what the law calls "Section 7 expenses"  special or extraordinary costs that are shared proportionally based on each parent's income.

These commonly include:

• Childcare costs (daycare, after-school programs)
• Medical and dental expenses not covered by insurance
• Extracurricular activities (hockey, dance, tutoring)
• Post-secondary education costs
• Orthodontics or therapy

In mediation, parents frequently need to negotiate which activities or expenses count, how they'll be shared, and what process they'll use to approve new expenses in the future. This is where the conversation can get detailed  and where having a neutral mediator in mediation is invaluable for keeping both parents focused on the child rather than each other.

3. How Does Shared Parenting Time Affect Child Support?

This is one of the most misunderstood areas of child support in Alberta. Many parents assume that if they have equal parenting time (50/50), neither parent pays child support. That's not how it works.

Under the Guidelines, when a child spends at least 40% of their time with each parent, a "set-off" calculation applies — but the higher-earning parent typically still pays the difference between what each would owe the other. In some cases, the actual costs each parent bears directly may also factor in.

This conversation in mediation often involves:

• Mapping out the actual parenting schedule
• Calculating each parent's income
• Discussing how the set-off applies to their specific situation
• Agreeing on how the amounts will be reviewed if parenting time changes

Having this conversation in divorce mediation Calgary rather than in a courtroom  means parents can explore options that reflect their real parenting arrangement, rather than accepting a rigid formula.

4. What Happens When Income Changes?

Life doesn't stay the same after divorce. A parent may get a promotion, lose a job, take time off for health reasons, or start a new business. The question of how child support adjusts over time is one of the most important and most overlooked conversations during mediation.

Parents in mediation typically discuss:

• Annual income disclosure: Will both parents agree to share their tax returns or Notice of Assessment each year?
• Voluntary adjustments: If income goes up or down significantly, how will they handle it without going back to court?
• Review timelines: Many parents agree to revisit child support every 1–2 years as part of their separation agreement in Alberta

Building a review process into the agreement is one of the smartest things separating parents can do. It reduces the likelihood of future conflict  and future legal fees.

5. What If One Parent Isn't Disclosing Their Real Income?

This is a sensitive but common conversation. One parent may believe the other is hiding income, underreporting earnings, or deliberately keeping their income low to reduce their support obligation.

In a divorce mediation Calgary session, the mediator doesn't take sides or investigate finances but they do facilitate an honest conversation about financial transparency. Both parties can be encouraged to provide documentation, and the mediator can help set expectations for full disclosure.

When voluntary disclosure happens in mediation, it often prevents the need for formal court processes like financial disclosure orders — saving both time and money for the whole family.

6. How Do We Handle Child Support If We Can't Agree on the Parenting Plan?

Child support and parenting time are deeply connected, and sometimes parents come into mediation having already disagreed on custody arrangements. In those cases, the child support conversation can't really be finalized until parenting time is settled first.

This is where the FairPlay mediation process really shines. Rather than treating each issue in isolation, Justin works with both parents to see the full picture of what post-divorce family life will look like. Issues like living arrangements, school decisions, and holiday schedules all feed into both the parenting plan and the support calculation.

For high-conflict families in Calgary, this integrated approach is often the difference between reaching a durable agreement and cycling in and out of court.

7. Can We Put Our Child Support Agreement in Writing?

Absolutely — and you should.

One of the most important outcomes of family mediation in Calgary is a written agreement that both parents can rely on. At FairPlay Mediation, the process concludes with a detailed Reporting Letter that summarizes everything the parties agreed to. This document can then be reviewed by each parent's lawyer and drafted into a formal separation agreement in Alberta — or, if needed, incorporated into a court order.

A well-written agreement covers:

• The monthly child support amount
• Which Section 7 expenses are included and how they're split
• How income will be disclosed and reviewed
• The process for making changes if circumstances shift

Having this in writing protects both parents and gives the children stability — which is always the goal.