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Family Law/Parenting & Support
— Parenting & Support · Surrey, BC

Arrangements built around the child, not the argument.

Parenting time, decision-making, child support and spousal support. The decisions that keep affecting daily life long after everything else is settled.

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(778) 262-2835

Your first 30 minutes are free. Every conversation is privileged and completely confidential.

— Overview

One question decides parenting disputes, and it is not fairness to the parents.

British Columbia law asks a single question about children: what is in this child's best interests. Not what is fair between the parents, not who was at fault for the separation, and not who wants what. Arguments framed around parental fairness tend to land badly, because they are answering a question nobody is asking.

The language has moved on too. The old vocabulary of custody and access has largely been replaced by parenting time and parental responsibilities, which separate who the child is with from who decides things like schooling and medical care. Those can be shared differently, and often should be.

— What we handle

Parenting & Support.

I.Parenting time & schedules
II.Parental responsibilities & decision-making
III.Child support
IV.Spousal support
V.Relocation & moving with a child
VI.Varying an existing order or agreement
VII.Enforcement when terms are ignored
VIII.Protection orders & urgent applications
— How it runs

Four stages, in order.

I
Establish the picture

The child's routine, schooling, care history and needs are set out. This is the evidence that actually moves parenting decisions, far more than allegations between parents.

THE CHILD
II
Income and disclosure

Support is driven by income, so income has to be established properly. Where a payor is self-employed or has corporate income, working out the real figure is its own exercise.

DISCLOSURE
III
Agree or apply

Most arrangements are settled by negotiation or mediation. Where that is not possible, or where a child is at risk, an application is made and interim arrangements can be put in place quickly.

RESOLUTION
IV
Review and enforce

Children's needs change and incomes change with them. Terms can be varied, and where an agreement or order is ignored, it can be enforced.

ONGOING
— Common questions

What clients usually ask first.

Who decides where the children live?+
The parents, if they can agree. If they cannot, a court decides on the basis of the child's best interests, looking at the child's needs, their relationship with each parent, the care arrangements that have been working, and any family violence. Neither parent starts with an automatic advantage.
What is the difference between parenting time and parental responsibilities?+
Parenting time is when the child is in your care. Parental responsibilities are the decisions about the child, such as schooling, healthcare and religion. They are separate, and it is common for parenting time to be split one way while significant decisions are shared.
How is child support calculated?+
Child support is largely formulaic, driven by the paying parent's income and the number of children, applied through the child support guidelines. Special expenses such as childcare, orthodontics or activities are usually shared separately in proportion to income. The complexity is almost always in establishing the true income.
Can I move away with my child?+
Not unilaterally. Relocation is one of the most closely regulated areas of family law, with notice requirements and specific factors a court must weigh. Moving without following the process can seriously damage your position, so get advice before making any commitment.
Can support be changed later?+
Yes. Support is tied to circumstances, and when income or a child's needs change materially, support can be varied. Doing that properly matters, because arrears accumulate on the existing terms until they are formally changed, not from the day circumstances changed.

See also recording terms in a separation agreement · dividing family property · resolving it outside court.

— Begin

A conversation, before a case.

The first 30 minutes are free. Call (778) 262-2835 or send a confidential inquiry — every conversation is privileged and completely confidential.

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