Filing for Divorce
If you have been separated for at least one year, a divorce can be completed within 6 months if you’re not claiming for things such as custody or access, support, or division of property. The length of your divorce will typically be proportional the number and complexity of the issues.
Child Support
Child support is determined by considering the gross annual income of the paying parent and the number of children that are being supported. In Alberta, the Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) may help you collect child support payments owed.
The program, where applicable, may obtain directly from your ex’s employer, filing writs against property your ex owns, or the FRO can request that your ex spouse’s driver’s license be suspended. for more information, go to http://www.mep.gov.ab.ca
Custody
Joint custody refers to when both parents make major decisions about the children. Parents may have joint custody but may not necessarily have equal parenting time.
The child or children may be living full time with only one parent although custody is joint. Issues of parenting and child support must be determined by the Courts prior to the granting of a Divorce judgment.
Spousal support
This is a discretionary award depending on the means and circumstances of the parties.
The SSAG (Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines) calculator is a useful tool to have some idea of what a likely spousal support award might be.
If a settlement agreement has not been reached between the parties, the applicant’s spouse has to apply to the Courts to have a possible spousal amount awarded to her.