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NEW CSG TABLE AMOUNTS

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BARR LLP
Edmonton, Alberta

New Federal Child Support Guideline table amounts come into force October 1, 2025: https://lawlibrary.ab.ca/staycurrent/2025/09/10/gu...

I assume that ChildView, DivorceMate, and the Fed's calculator will receive updates before October. In 2017 we were told to use the older version of the tables for retroactive calculations prior to 2017. That means that for the period prior to Oct 2025, if you want accurate calculations, you may need to run a separate calculation under the 2017 tables.

I ran a few comparisons to the 2017 table amounts to see how they compared. An Albertan paying for one child with a guideline income of $20,000 per year used to have a table amount of $179/mo, which has decreased to $112 per month. At an income of $50,000 they decreased slightly from $412 to $403 per month. At $100,000 per annum they decreased slightly from $884 to $878 per month. At $150,000 they increased slightly from $1318 to $1326. For two children at $150,000 they increased from $2133 to $2163. For three children at $150k they increased from $2784 to $2833.

My understanding is that the table amounts are calculated with reference to each province's tax rates. With inflation, the floor to meet one's basic needs has increased over time, which likely explains the decreases at lower incomes. As marginal tax brackets and basic personal amounts are adjusted for inflation, the same income tends to pay less tax and have more after-tax income over time (before inflation), and the lowest bracket decreased from 25% to 22.5% (which in our marginal system benefits all taxpayers). That may explain some of the increases.

Of course comparing the same income in 2017 to now isn't a fair comparison, because on average incomes would have risen with inflation during that time, and the same income has less purchasing power now. I ran a few more calculatons to compare the change to inflation. An Albertan earning $50,000 in 2017 and paying for one child would have had a table amount of $412 per month, but if their income increased with inflation to $60,827, their table amount under the 2017 tables would have been $512.94, and their Oct 2025 table amount will be $502. If their $412 table amount were adjusted for inflation they'd be paying $501 per month, meaning that at that bracket the change better reflects inflation. The table amounts for $100k in 2017 were nearly identical when income was adjusted for inflation and compared to each table and inflation of the table amount itself. $150k in 2017 resulting in a table amount of $1318. When adjusted for inflation to 2014 the same income would be $182,482, paying $1590.85 under the 2017 version and $1605.34 under the new version. Adjusting their $1318 2017 table amount for inflation would result in $1603.41, meaning again that the new version better reflects inflation at that that level of income as well.

While I could have run more scenarios, these limited calculations show that the update may better reflect inflation.

New Federal Child Support Guideline table amounts come into force October 1, 2025: https://lawlibrary.ab.ca/staycurrent/2025/09/10/guidelines-amending-the-federal-child-support-guidelines-2/

I assume that ChildView, DivorceMate, and the Fed's calculator will receive updates before October.  In 2017 we were told to use the older version of the tables for retroactive calculations prior to 2017.  That means that for the period prior to Oct 2025, if you want accurate calculations, you may need to run a separate calculation under the 2017 tables.

I ran a few comparisons to the 2017 table amounts to see how they compared.  An Albertan paying for one child with a guideline income of $20,000 per year used to have a table amount of $179/mo, which has decreased to $112 per month.  At an income of $50,000 they decreased slightly from $412 to $403 per month.  At $100,000 per annum they decreased slightly from $884 to $878 per month.  At $150,000 they increased slightly from $1318 to $1326.  For two children at $150,000 they increased from $2133 to $2163.  For three children at $150k they increased from $2784 to $2833.

My understanding is that the table amounts are calculated with reference to each province's tax rates.  With inflation, the floor to meet one's basic needs has increased over time, which likely explains the decreases at lower incomes.  As marginal tax brackets and basic personal amounts are adjusted for inflation, the same income tends to pay less tax and have more after-tax income over time (before inflation), and the lowest bracket decreased from 25% to 22.5% (which in our marginal system benefits all taxpayers).  That may explain some of the increases.

Of course comparing the same income in 2017 to now isn't a fair comparison, because on average incomes would have risen with inflation during that time, and the same income has less purchasing power now.  I ran a few more calculatons to compare the change to inflation.  An Albertan earning $50,000 in 2017 and paying for one child would have had a table amount of $412 per month, but if their income increased with inflation to $60,827, their table amount under the 2017 tables would have been $512.94, and their Oct 2025 table amount will be $502.  If their $412 table amount were adjusted for inflation they'd be paying $501 per month, meaning that at that bracket the change better reflects inflation.  The table amounts for $100k in 2017 were nearly identical when income was adjusted for inflation and compared to each table and inflation of the table amount itself.  $150k in 2017 resulting in a table amount of $1318.  When adjusted for inflation to 2014 the same income would be $182,482, paying $1590.85 under the 2017 version and $1605.34 under the new version. Adjusting their $1318 2017 table amount for inflation would result in $1603.41, meaning again that the new version better reflects inflation at that that level of income as well.

While I could have run more scenarios, these limited calculations show that the update may better reflect inflation.

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3 2 days ago

Sai Ravikumar

Maple Leaf Law
Edmonton, Alberta

Thanks, Ken. Interesting that the amounts have decerased. When the table was last updated in 2017, I believe the amounts increased in comparison to the previous 2011 table.

0 2 days ago

	Kimberly J. Kirk Taylor Wray LLP Sherwood Park, Alberta Thanks for providing a summary. Much appreciated! Thanks for providing a summary. Much appreciated! Edit Reset 0 2 days ago

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