Does the parental union change anything about my children's custody and support?
Short answer
No. In Quebec, the parental union creates rights and obligations between the spouses themselves, and not between the parents and the children: it has no effect on custody or on child support.
In detail
The official FAQ of the ministère de la Justice (Quebec's justice department) answers this very widespread worry directly: “No, there are no consequences for custody and child support. The parental union is a regime that creates rights and obligations between the spouses themselves and not between the parents and the children.”
The rules that apply to custody and to child support are the same as before: the child's interest for custody, and the Formulaire de fixation des pensions alimentaires pour enfants (child support determination form) or the federal tables for support, depending on the situation.
In the same way, the parental union has no effect on your income tax returns with Revenu Québec (Quebec's revenue agency) or with the Canada Revenue Agency, nor on the number of subsidized family mediation hours, which depends on having a common dependent child and not on the type of union.
What to document
Keep two files clearly apart: the one concerning your children (custody calendar, both parents' income, the child's expenses) and the one concerning your couple's property (dates of acquisition, source of the funds, notarial acts). Mixing them needlessly complicates both processes, which follow separate rules.
Put your facts in writing, free. Writing your version down early, keeping your documents dated and preparing your questions for a lawyer: the tool is there to document, never to advise.
Open the application Up to 3 files, no card · see the plans
Official sources
- Gouvernement du Québec — The parental union: frequently asked questions (official PDF)
- JuridiQC — Child support in 7 questions
Related questions
- When does a parental union end?
- How is the payment made when the parental union patrimony is divided?
- Does a step-parent have any rights over their spouse's child?
- How long does the judge take to render a decision?
- What is a parental union in Quebec?
See all the answers · the full guide collection · Lire en français
What this page is not
This is general legal information about the law of Quebec and Canada, dated and sourced. It is not legal advice, not a strategy, and not a prediction about the outcome of a case. In Quebec, only lawyers and notaries may give legal advice (Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, ss. 128 and 133). Laws and amounts change: the official source always prevails over us.