Once you have an agreement or court order about child support, the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. must pay support to you. You can take steps to collect on-time, overdue and retroactive child support payments.
If you do not know who should be paying child support or how much is owed, review the Calculate child support page.
On this page, “parent” refers to both parents and guardians.
Need to know
- An agreement or child support order sets out who pays, when they are supposed to pay, how much they pay and how they pay.
- The Maintenance Enforcement Program, or MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program., is a free government service that collects payments from the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. and distributes them to the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent..
- If not using MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program., you can take steps to collect regular, on-time payments as well as overdue payments from the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent..
- You can ask the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. for backpay, known as retroactive child support, if they have not paid the right amount of child support in the past.
Get started
Learn the basics about child support rules before you collect child support.
Next, review your agreement or order about child support. Note the following:
- How and when is the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. supposed to pay child support? When did you last receive payment?
- How much child support does the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. owe per month? How much was the last payment?
- Is child support overdue? If so, how much child support is overdue?
- Are there instructions on what to do if the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. is not paying on time? If so, what are they?
- What is the amount of child support based on? How old is the information? Is there new information to suggest the amount of child support is incorrect?
Use the Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP)
The Maintenance Enforcement Program, or MEP, collects court-ordered child support and enforces payment as needed. It receives the support owing from the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. and distributes it to the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent.. MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. is a free service of the Government of Alberta.
You can use MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. to collect both regular and overdue payments. You can register with MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. as soon as you have a child support order or file a Maintenance Enforcement Support Agreement with the Court of King’s Bench. Either the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. or recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. can register with MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program.. If the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. registers with MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program., you will receive a notice with more information.
Three reasons why you might want to use MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. are:
- MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. tracks all payments in and out, as well as interest gained and overdue child support.
- You do not have to interact with the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent., only with MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program..
- MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. has authority to collect money from the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. in different ways, including by seizing money the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. is owed by the federal government or their employer. To learn more about how MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. can enforce payments, visit the Government of Alberta’s website.
MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. cannot represent you or give you legal advice. MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. also cannot adjust child support amounts or calculate retroactive child support.
- If you live outside of Alberta, register with the enforcement program in your jurisdictionjurisdiction The scope of government authority or power over certain subjects, usually within a geographical area. It also refers to the scope of authority or power of a court. or call MEP in Alberta for more information.
- Make sure you have one of the following documents that clearly says how much the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. owes and must pay each month:
- child support order
- Maintenance Enforcement Support Agreement that is filed with the Court of King’s Bench (learn more by reading the instructions)
- Complete the registration forms and mail them to the MEP office. Find the registration forms on the Government of Alberta’s website.
- MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. will review your forms and notify the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent..
- Once MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. accepts the file and notifies the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent., the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. must stop making payments directly to you and must instead pay MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program.. You will then receive payments through MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program., not directly from the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent..
Collect regular, on-time payments
If you are not using MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program., you can collect child support payments directly from the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent.. This may be a good option if you and the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. have a good relationship and you trust them to pay child support directly to you.
Your agreement or order should say how and when the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. pays child support. For example, the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. may e-transfer money or send you a cheque on the first day of each month. Do not accept cash.
Ask the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. to label each payment so it can be traced later if necessary. For example, in the message section of the e-transfer or on the memo line of the cheque, the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. should note the month and year and that the money is for child support, such as “April 2024 child support”.
As Section 7 child support expenses come up, send a text, email or letter to the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. asking for them to pay their portion. You must provide a receipt or other evidence of the expense. Download a sample note and use it as a template to help you write your own.
Collect overdue payments, known as arrears
Overdue payments are late, missed or partial payments. If you are not using MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program., you have a few options for collecting overdue child support payments from the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent..
If you feel safe interacting with the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent., you can try to collect the overdue payments yourself. Communication can go a long way in preventing and resolving conflicts.
Try sending the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. a reminder in writing, such as a text, email or letter. Note how much they owe and when it was due. Download a sample note and use it as a template to help you write your own. Keep a copy of your communication with the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent..
It is best to communicate in writing so you have proof of who said what. If you talk with the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. in person or on the phone, follow up with them in writing to summarize what each of you said. This can make sure you both have the same understanding of the conversations.
If the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. responds, you can work together to make a plan for them to pay the overdue child support amounts and keep up with regular payments.
If the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. does not respond or continues to miss payments for child support, keep reading to learn about your other options for enforcing payments.
For tips on how to work with the other parent to resolve disputes, visit the How to communicate with the other person page.
If you have a written agreement about child support but no court order, you can ask the court to include the agreement in a child support order. Doing so allows you to ask the court to enforce payment of the overdue child support amounts.
Once you have a child support order, you can ask the court to change it to include the overdue amounts.
After hearing your case, the court can:
- order the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. to pay the full amount that is overdue
- change the amount of overdue support
- cancel the amount of overdue support
The court is very hesitant to change or cancel the amount of overdue child support. There must be a strong reason why the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. should not have to pay the overdue support, such as if it would be extremely unfair for them to pay the amount owing. Usually, the court will postpone the payments or allow the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. to pay the amount they owe over time instead.
Follow the instructions on the Get or respond to a court order page to apply to court. Remember, going to court takes time and money. It should always be a last resort.
You can file a writ of enforcement with the Court of King’s Bench. In this process, you become a creditorcreditor An individual or business owed money by a debtor. and the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. becomes the debtordebtor An individual or business that owes money to a creditor..
Before you can file a writ of enforcement, you need an updated child support order from the court. This order should say how much the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. owes for regular payments going forward as well as how much the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. owes in arrears.
Once you file a writ of enforcement, you can hire a civil enforcement agencycivil enforcement agency An agency with permission from the Government of Alberta to seize (take away) and sell a person’s property to pay someone they owe money to. to seize assetsassets Something a person owns that has value. Assets include houses, vehicles, furniture, money and investments. from the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. equal to the amount they owe in arrears. You cannot take the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent.’s property yourself.
Find the Writ of EnforcementWrit of Enforcement A court form a creditor files with the court to allow them to take steps to enforce a judgment order against a debtor. form on the Alberta Courts’ website. To learn more about this process, review the Government of Alberta’s Getting and Enforcing Your Judgment in Alberta booklet.
Collect backpay, known as retroactive child support
Retroactive child support is back pay of child support to correct the non-payment, under-payment or overpayment of child support. Learn more on the Rules about child support page.
If you think you are eligible for retroactive child support, talk to the other parent or apply to court right away. The longer you wait, the harder it can be to get.
If you are using MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program., they cannot help you calculate retroactive child support, but they can enforce retroactive child support in a child support order.
If the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. owes child support going forward as well, make sure you have an agreement or court order about the amount they are to pay and when to share financial information to recalculate child support if need be. Sharing your financial information with each other every year helps avoid having to deal with retroactive child support.
Write to the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. to see if you can agree on the amount of retroactive child support. You can make an agreement yourselves or get help from a legal professional without going to court. Once you have an agreement, you can turn it into a consent order, which allows the court to enforce the agreement if someone is not following it.
If you and the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. do not agree on retroactive child support, you may need to go to court. Remember, going to court takes time and money. It should always be your last resort.
The process for getting a retroactive child support order is the same as getting or changing a child support order. Follow the steps on the Get or respond to a court order page.
When applying for a retroactive child support order, be sure to include the following information in your court documents:
- the years for which you are requesting retroactive child support
- the amount of child support the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. has paid, if any, for the years you are asking for retroactive child support
- if the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. is already paying child support, the date and amount of the last payment and whether the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. pays on time
- where the child lived in the years you are asking for retroactive child support
- each parent’s income for every year you are asking for retroactive child support, including any changes in income and whether you shared financial information with each other
- the child’s quality of life in the years you are asking for retroactive child support
- reasons why you did not apply for retroactive child support earlier
- if you are asking for retroactive Section 7 child support, details of the expenses you want to be reimbursed for, including receipts
When deciding on retroactive child support, the court considers many factors, including:
- the reasons why you did not ask for retroactive support sooner, for example, if you could not afford a lawyer
- if the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. engaged in blameworthy conduct
- the circumstances of the children when they weren’t receiving support payments, for example, if they were living below the poverty line
- whether a retroactive child support order would cause undue hardshipundue hardship A legal argument someone can use to reduce the amount of support they owe. The person must prove they would suffer unfair financial hardship if they had to pay the amount of support required by law. for the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent., for example, if they do not have the income, savings or property to pay it
If the payor has been overpaying child support
You may be responsible for paying retroactive child support if the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. has been overpaying support in the past. Learn how to respond to a request for retroactive child support on the Pay child support page.
Myth busters
Some people believe the court can only order retroactive child support going back three years from the date the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. applies to court.
This is not true. The court can order retroactive child support going back more than three years if the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. was involved in blameworthy conduct.
Potential issues
You’re not sure if the amount of the child support payments is still correct.
You should recalculate child support if one parent’s income or financial situation changes. The payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. must continue to pay the current amount of child support until you agree on or the court orders a new amount.
You cannot find or contact the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent..
If you register with MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program., they can take steps to enforce court-ordered child support. Contact MEP to learn more.
You or the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. lives outside Alberta.
MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program. can monitor and enforce a court order when the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. or recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. lives outside Alberta. Either the payorpayor A person who pays money to another person. For example, a person who pays child support to the other parent. or recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. can register with MEPMEP A free government service that collects court-ordered child support and spousal/partner support payments from the payor and distributes them to the recipient. MEP stands for Maintenance Enforcement Program.. Contact MEP to learn more.