Section 7 Expenses

With some activities set to resume for the school year, our office wanted to provide a brief overview of what expenses can be covered by child support over and above the base amount. The cost of some activities fall under the “basic” monthly child support, and do not obligate either parent to pay over and above their base amount. However, larger and more expensive activities will likely require the cost to be shared. These expenses are called “Special or extraordinary expenses” or “S. 7 Expenses”. These expenses will likely be shared by both parents, pro-rated according to their respective incomes. Common examples of S. 7 expenses include child care expenses, various health-related expenses, and extraordinary expenses for extracurricular activities.

With many activities starting back up, such as hockey and dance, parents should be aware of their respective support obligations. Parents should discuss all activities with each other prior to enrolling children in any activities, and try to agree on who will be covering any portion of the cost. If it is a bigger, more expensive activity, the expenses of the activities will likely then be shared between the parents respective to their incomes. If further dispute arises, they can contact a lawyer for information on how to proceed.

PLEASE NOTE: We cannot provide legal advice to people who are not our clients. The above is not legal advice, but provides general information only. You should not rely on this information to determine your legal rights and obligations. If you have specific legal concerns, we strongly recommend that you obtain legal advice directly from a lawyer. If you would like to speak with and/or retain a lawyer at Evolve Family Law, please contact us at 306-808-2565 or info@evolvelaw.ca