Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Objectives of the Study
    2. Research Framework
    3. Methodology
  2. Summary of the 1990s Canadian Research.
    1. Rationale for the Legal Framework
    2. Summary of the Research that Led to the Creation of the Federal Child Support Guidelines Formula
    3. Rules Used to Generate the Final Child Support Amount
  3. Child Support Models in Ten Jurisdictions
    1. Introduction
    2. Summary of Child Support Models
    3. Overview of the Child Support Model in Each Jurisdiction
    4. Administration of the Models
    5. Rationale for the Model Used in Each Jurisdiction
    6. Tools for Parents
    7. Major Changes to Child Support Legislation over Time
    8. Summary
  4. Components Used to Calculate Child Support Amounts
    1. Introduction
    2. Approaches to Estimating Expenditures on Children
    3. Approaches Used to Estimate Child Expenditures in the Jurisdictions
    4. Use of Expenditures in the Formula
    5. Approach Used to Apportion the Amount between the Two Parents
    6. Summary
  5. Legislated Rules to Generate Final Child Support Amounts
    1. Introduction
    2. How Income is Defined and Used in the Formula Calculations.
    3. Approaches Used to Address Various Parenting/Custody Arrangements
    4. Approaches That Consider Other Families/Dependents
    5. Special Expenses
    6. Undue Hardship and Other Circumstances
    7. Summary of Other Factors
    8. Summary
  6. Summary and Conclusions