Cairn journal
Money & finances
Money & finances — plain-language articles to help you understand this part of the Ontario family law process.
Common-law spousal support in Ontario: who pays, how much
In Ontario, common-law spouses owe spousal support if they cohabited 3+ years or share a child. Here is how entitlement, the SSAG formula, and tax actually work.
Norm Barrette · May 27, 2026 · 7 min read
Equalization and dividing property in Ontario after separation
Ontario does not split your assets in half — it equalizes the growth in each spouse's net worth. Here is how Net Family Property and the equalization payment actually work.
Norm Barrette · May 20, 2026 · 5 min read
Spousal support in Ontario — who pays, how much, how long
Spousal support in Ontario is not automatic — entitlement comes first, then the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines set a monthly range and a duration from your incomes and the length of the relationship. Here is how the range, the Rule of 65, and the tax deduction actually work.
Norm Barrette · May 19, 2026 · 4 min read
Form T1213 explained — keep more cash in your paycheque
If you pay periodic spousal support under a signed agreement or court order, Form T1213 moves the tax deduction from a delayed refund into every paycheque. Here is the exact CRA filing order, the documents you need first, and the mistakes that kill the request.
Norm Barrette · May 18, 2026 · 3 min read
Federal Child Support Tables explained
The Federal Child Support Tables set the base monthly amount in Ontario from two numbers — the payor's income and the number of children. Here is how to read your row, the three rules that change it, and how to turn the table figure into what actually hits your account.
Norm Barrette · May 18, 2026 · 2 min read
How is child support calculated in Ontario?
Child support in Ontario is not negotiated, not based on what you can afford, and not adjustable by agreement below the table. It is a formula. Here is the plain-English version of how the math actually works — what the table says, what section 7 adds, what shared parenting changes, and what hits your account each month.
Norm Barrette · May 14, 2026 · 8 min read