You share custody of the child

In cases of shared custody, the Family Allowance payments are made to both parents at the same time and according to the payment frequency (quarterly or monthly) chosen by each parent.
Under the Taxation Act, we cannot take into consideration any financial agreementbetween two parents regarding the Family Allowance (e.g. an agreement that has been confirmed or not by a court judgment, a mediation report, etc.).
We consider that a child is in shared custody when the child lives alternately with each parent between 40% and 60% of the time each month.
If the child's custody is shared between one parent and another person, the parent's percentage of custody time must be a minimum of 40% but not more than 59% each month. In this case, we may verify how responsibility for the child's care is shared.

Important

We must be informed of any shared custody arrangements. Please ensure that the information in your annual notice includes the mention "shared custody" for the children who are in that situation. If any changes are required, please inform us immediately.

Family Allowance

In cases of shared custody, you are entitled to an amount equivalent to half of the amount that you would have received for the child, if the child were not in shared custody.
If you were not already receiving payments when shared custody began, you must file an Application for Family Allowance Payments to receive the amounts to which you could be entitled.
We can pay Family Allowance retroactively for a period of 11 months from the date an application is received if all of the eligibility requirements are met.

Supplements for handicapped children

If you share custody of a child and a supplement for handicapped children is being paid for that child, the amount of the supplement will automatically be divided between the 2 parents. The same rule applies if you receive the Supplement for Handicapped Children Requiring Exceptional Care.

Change in conjugal situation

Following a change in your conjugal status, the amount of your Family Allowance is recalculated. To avoid having to repay overpayments, you have certain steps to take, based on your situation. The parent who does not receive Family Allowance in his or her name must instead file an Application for Family Allowance if the child resides with him or her at least 40% of the time each month.
In the event of a separation, you must not live at the same address as your former spouse for at least 90 days for your separation to be recognized. Wait until the end of the period before declaring your new conjugal status. You will receive Family Allowance for the entire period starting from the month following the month of your separation.

Example

If you have not been living with your former spouse since 6 January, you must wait until 6 April, that is, 90 days later, before informing us of your new conjugal status. Family Allowance will be paid retroactively to February.

For more information, consult the Union and separation section on our website.

Other useful information

First steps to take in the event of a separation