Once you have an agreement or court order about spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support., you must pay support to the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent.. A recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. can take steps to collect spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. and overdue payments. If you are struggling to keep up with payments, you can ask the court to change the amount of support.
If you do not know who should be paying spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. or how much is owed, review the Calculate spousal or partner support page.
On this page, “spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support.” refers to both spousal and partner support, and “partner” refers to an adult interdependent partner .
Need to know
- An agreement or spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner 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 make payments, including communicating with the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. or changing your court order.
- If you would suffer 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. by paying overdue or retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support., you can ask the court to change or cancel the amounts.
Get started
Learn the basics about spousal and partner support rules before you pay spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support..
Next, review your agreement or order about spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support.. Note the following:
- How and when are you supposed to pay spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support.?
- If you are to pay monthly, how much spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. do you owe per month?
- What is the amount of spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. based on? Has something changed to suggest the amount of support is incorrect?
- Are there instructions on what will happen if you are not paying on time? If so, what are they?
Myth busters
Some people believe they can stop paying spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. once their ex moves in with a new partner.
This is not true. This change does not end your financial obligations to your previous spouse/partner unless your agreement or order says to end or review support once they move in with a new spouse/partner. You must continue to pay the original amount of spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. until you get a new court order with an adjusted amount.
Use the Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP)
The Maintenance Enforcement Program, or MEP, collects court-ordered spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner 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 pay 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 spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner 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 recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from 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:
- You do not have to interact with the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from 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. tracks all payments in and out, as well as interest gained and overdue spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support.. The recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. cannot claim they did not receive a payment from you when you did in fact pay it.
- 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 approve temporary payment plans to pay spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support., including overdue amounts.
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 spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. amounts or calculate retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner 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 you owe and must pay each month:
- spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner 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 applicationapplication A court appearance where the applicant asks the court for an order to resolve some or all of their legal issues. and notify the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from 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 recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent., you must stop making payments directly to the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. 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.. The recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. 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 you.
Pay 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 pay spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. payments directly to the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent.. This may be a good option if you and the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. have a good relationship and you both agree to pay them directly.
Your agreement or order should say how and when you must pay spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support.. For example, you may e-transfer money or send a cheque on the first day of each month. Do not pay in cash.
You should 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, note the month and year and that the money is for spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support.. For example, you should write “June 2024 spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support.”.
Pay 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 and the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. can take steps to deal with overdue spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support..
If you miss a payment for a valid reason, good communication goes a long way in preventing disputes. Send the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. a note in writing, such as a text, email or letter. Include how much you owe and when you will pay it.
It is best to communicate in writing so you have proof of who said what. If you talk with the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from 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.
For tips on how to talk with the other person to resolve disputes, visit the How to communicate with the other person page.
If you have a written agreement about spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. but no court order, the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. may ask the court to include the agreement in a spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. order. This can make it easier for them to collect overdue payments.
If you miss payments once there is a spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. order, the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. can go back to court and ask the court to enforce the order. The court can order you to pay the full amount that is overdue. The order usually includes a payment plan for doing so.
If you are behind on payments and struggling to keep up, you can also ask the court to change or cancel overdue spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. if you would suffer 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.. To make this request, you must:
- share your financial information
- prove your income has changed significantly and for the long-term
- prove a big change in your financial responsibilities, such as financially supporting a new family or child
- have a good reason for why you did not ask the court to change the spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. order or agreement when your income first changed instead of letting overdue spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. add up
The court is very hesitant to change or cancel the amount of overdue spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support.. There must be a strong reason why you should not have to pay the overdue support, such as if it would be extremely unfair for you to pay the amount owing. Usually, the court will postpone the payments or allow you to pay the amount you owe over time instead.
Follow the instructions on the Get or respond to a court order page. Remember, going to court takes time and money. It should always be a last resort.
Myth busters
Some people believe they can lower their spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. payments to what they feel they can afford given new responsibilities, such as a new family or new mortgage.
This is not true. You must ask for a new order and prove to the court how your financial responsibilities mean you, a spouse/partner or child would suffer 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.. You must continue to pay the original amount of spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. until you get a new court order with an adjusted amount.
Pay backpay, known as retroactive spousal/partner support
Retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. is back pay of spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. to correct the non-payment, under-payment or overpayment of support. Learn more on the Rules about spousal and partner support page.
If you have been underpaying spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. in the past, the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. can request you pay retroactive spousal/partner support.
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 spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support., but they can enforce retroactive support in a spousal/partner order.
If you owe spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. going forward as well, make sure you have an agreement or court order about the amount you owe and when to share financial information to recalculate spousal/partner support if need be. Sharing your financial information with each other every year helps avoid having to deal with retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support..
If the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. requests retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support., see if you can work together without going to court. You can make an agreement yourselves or get help from a legal professional. 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 recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. do not agree on retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support., they may go to court. Remember, going to court takes time and money. It should always be your last resort.
The process for responding to a retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. order is the same as for responding to a spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. order. Follow the steps on the Get or respond to a court order page.
When responding to a request for a retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. order, you must share financial information for the years requested. This will help the court decide whether you owe retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support., and, if you do, how much you owe and when to pay it.
When deciding on retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support., the court considers many factors, including:
- the reasons why the person requesting retroactive support didn’t ask for it sooner, for example, if they were unable to afford a lawyer
- if you engaged in blameworthy conduct
- the circumstances of the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. when they weren’t receiving support payments, for example, if they were living below the poverty line
- whether a retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. order would cause you 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 example, if you do not have the income, savings and property to pay it
If you’ve been overpaying spousal/partner support
You can also request the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from the other parent. pay retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. if you have been overpaying support in the past. Find tips for collecting retroactive spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. on the Collect spousal/partner support page.
Potential issues
You are not sure if the amount of spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. payments is still correct.
Depending on your agreement or order, you should recalculate spousal/partner support if one person’s income or situation changes. You must continue to pay the current amount of spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support. until you agree on or the court orders a new amount.
You cannot find or contact the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from 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 distribute and enforce court-ordered spousal/partner supportspousal/partner support On this website, referring to both spousal support and partner support.. Contact MEP to learn more.
You or the recipientrecipient A person who receives money from another person. For example, a person who receives child support from 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.