Blended families are becoming more and more common as parents find new partners after the end of an earlier relationship.  Some of those new partners can be reluctant to start a relationship with some who already has kids.  That can make things complicated, especially as it often means the ex may still be hanging about.  But, a BIG concern of many people considering starting a relationship with someone who is already a parent is whether becoming that parent’s spouse will mean becoming liable for that parent’s child support obligation.   New spouse’s should not be liable for their partner’s child support obligation.  But, the legal answer is more complicated.

When a person marries, or starts a relationship, with someone who has kids from a previous relationship, that person can be on the hook, directly or indirectly, to that partner’s ex.  In this episode of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, which is also available as a video on YouTube, Certified Specialist in Family Law, John Schuman, explains how that can happen, and how to avoid pay child support to a new partner’s ex.

If you enjoyed this episode, you will want to check out these ones:

12 - How Step Parents and Grand Parents Can Be on the Hook for Child Support

4 - How to Have An Enforceable Marriage Contract in Ontario

8 - How Your Heart Can Get You Into Trouble

9 - How Property is Divided After a Marriage in Ontario

10 - Child Support in Ontario/Canada

11 - Child Support’s Special and Extraordinary Expenses

20 - What Living Common Law Means (and What It Doesn’t)

29 - Common Law Separation and Property Division

53 - How to Pay Less Child Support

And listen to this radio program, and watch this TV News Story on grandparents being sued for child support.

The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to the book, Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is available  as a $9.99 Kindle eBook, Kobo eBook, or iBook for your iPad or iPhone and as a paperback from Amazon and better bookstores.