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Our Toronto spousal support lawyers at 55 University Avenue advise on entitlement, calculate support using the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines, negotiate fair terms, and, when necessary, bring or defend support applications in Ontario Family Court.
Book My 15-Minute Assessment →55 University Avenue, Toronto | Spousal Support | SSAG Calculations | Variation & Enforcement | Initial Assessments
Spousal support (sometimes called alimony or partner support) is financial support paid by one spouse to another following separation. In Ontario, spousal support is governed by the Divorce Act (for married spouses) and the Family Law Act (for common-law partners of three or more years, or those with a child together).
Unlike child support, spousal support is not automatic. Entitlement must first be established, either on compensatory grounds (the supported spouse sacrificed career or education during the relationship), non-compensatory grounds (the supported spouse has financial need), or contractual grounds (the parties agreed to it). Once entitlement is established, the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAG) provide ranges for the amount and duration.
Our Toronto spousal support lawyers advise payors and recipients. We calculate support under the SSAG, negotiate terms in separation agreements, bring and defend variation applications when circumstances change, and enforce support orders through the Family Responsibility Office when payors default.
Our office is within reach of the key courts for your matter. We appear in these courts regularly and know the local judicial culture well.
Handles spousal support in the context of divorce proceedings. Variation and enforcement of existing spousal support orders are also filed here.
Handles standalone spousal support applications for common-law partners and for married spouses not seeking divorce.
We represent Toronto clients on all aspects of spousal support, from initial entitlement analysis through to enforcement and variation applications years after separation.
Before amount and duration can be determined, entitlement must be established. We analyze each client's specific situation against the three grounds for entitlement: compensatory (career or educational sacrifice during the relationship), non-compensatory (financial need relative to the payor's means), and contractual (agreement-based). Many support disputes turn on this threshold question, not on the SSAG calculations.
The Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines provide a range, not a fixed number, for support amount and duration. The ranges are wide, and where within the range the support falls depends on factors specific to your file. We calculate support under both the "with child support" and "without child support" formulas, model different scenarios, and advise clients on what a court is likely to order versus what can be negotiated.
Spousal support orders and agreements can be varied when there has been a material change in circumstances, a significant increase or decrease in either party's income, a recipient entering a new relationship, retirement, or a change in health. We bring and defend variation applications, advise on what constitutes a material change, and negotiate revised terms wherever possible.
Above a defined level of payor income the Advisory Guidelines stop applying automatically, and the outcome is argued on evidence of the marital standard of living rather than produced by a formula. Spousal support above the Guidelines ceiling covers how those cases are run.
After twenty years of marriage the Advisory Guidelines stop setting an end date, and the same applies under the rule of sixty five to shorter marriages where the recipient was older at separation. Support after a long marriage explains indefinite duration and what happens when the payor retires.
Our family lawyers offer a 15-minute initial assessment for most matters. Call us, email us, or use our contact form to book your appointment.
55 University Ave, Suite 1100
Toronto, ON M5J 2H7
90 Matheson Blvd W, Suite 101, Mississauga, ON L5R 3R3
2 Sheppard Ave East, Suite 303, Toronto, ON M2N 5Y7
277 Lakeshore Rd E, Suite 408, Oakville, ON L6J 1H9
Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Evenings & weekends by appointment
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