Family Law
Child Support Recalculation Service
The New Brunswick Child Support Recalculation Service (CSRS) helps reduce the time, expense and stress that families face when they go through the courts to change their child support. Either the person paying child support, or the person receiving support can apply for this free service.
What this service provides
The CSRS helps keep child support in line with parent’s income without having to return to court. We recalculate the support payment annually using the applicable Child Support Guidelines, your Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment or Reassessment from the previous year along with a completed Income Questionnaire.
As long as you are enrolled, your support amount will be automatically recalculated each year on the anniversary date of your court order or agreement.
If you have a shared-parenting arrangement
If you share the cost of special expenses, these can be recalculated as well. For shared arrangements, both parties must provide their income information.
If you or the other party is self-employed
If you or the other party’s income is primarily based on self-employment, we aren’t able to do a recalculation. However, if self-employment income is minimal and is in addition to full-time income, we may be able to recalculate.
You MAY BE ELIGIBLE if all the following applies
You have an existing Canadian court order or agreement filed with the court for child support that:
- Specifically states the parties’ income used to calculate child support
- Sets child support amount based on the tables in the Child Support Guidelines, and/or directs sharing of special expenses in proportion to the parties’ incomes
- Lists names and dates of birth of the children
Provides the following details where parenting time (custody) is shared:
- The income of both parties
- That the child support is based upon each party’s income, and
- Either a) the percentage of time the child(ren) are with each party, or b) how much time is spent with each party so the percentage can be determined
Whose financial information do we need?
In all cases, we need the paying party’s Notice of Assessment or Reassessment from the previous year along with a completed Income Questionnaire. If the court also required the recipient’s income to calculate the child support and/or special expense amount, we need the recipient’s Notice of Assessment or Reassessment from the previous year and a completed Income Questionnaire as well.
You are NOT ELIGIBLE if any of the following applies
- If you and/or the other party live outside New Brunswick
- If the paying party’s gross annual income is over $150,000
- If the recipient’s income is required, their gross annual income is over $150,000
- If you’re only seeking to adjust unpaid child support (arrears)
- If you need to adjust your child support before the anniversary date of your order or agreement due to a change in income (we are not able to retroactively adjust child support)
- If your court order or agreement filed with the court states that:
- The CSRS should not recalculate your child support
- The paying party’s income was “imputed†(this means that the judge relied on what they were told that the paying party’s income was, but the income was not known)
- Child support was granted in an “interim order†with a scheduled court date, or where unpaid support (arrears) will be reviewed in the future
First time applying?
If your court order or agreement is more than one year old, you can apply at any time. If your court order or agreement is less than one year old, contact the CSRS for details on when you can apply.
How to Apply
Go to gnb.ca/CSRS, and download the Application to Enroll in the Child Support Recalculation Service form.
Questions?
Toll-free: (833) 224-2225
Email: recalc@gnb.ca
Fax: (506) 453-2234
Web: gnb.ca/CSRS
This is a brief overview of the Child Support Recalculation Service. It does not contain full information about the service, or the law relating to child support recalculations. Anyone needing advice on their specific support situation should seek legal advice.
Published by:
Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5H1
Tel: 506-453-5369
Family Law Information Line: 1-888-236-2444
Fax: 506-462-5193
Email: pleisnb@web.ca
www.legal-info-legale.nb.ca
www.familylawnb.ca
Reprinted November 2017
ISBN: 978-1-55471-742-2
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Disclaimer: Please note that our website contains general information about the law. This is not a complete statement of the law on particular topics. We try to update our publications often, but laws change frequently so it is important for you to check to make sure the information is up to date. The information in our publications is not a substitute for legal advice. To receive legal advice about your specific situation, you need to speak to a lawyer.
