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After completing the mandatory introductory portion of your affidavit, you put in the content. The clauses in this section are all optional. The ones you choose will depend on your specific situation. But you should always include some General Information clauses.

This section relates to child support and includes the following topics:

• Income for child support
• Parenting arrangements
• Special or extraordinary expenses
• Other information

All parents have the duty to support their children, even if one parent doesn't see or take care of them. Non-parent guardians and step-parents may also have an obligation to pay child support. See Child support.

This guide deals with scenarios for parents only. If you are a non-parent guardian or step-parent, get further legal advice on how to complete your affidavit.

The general guidelines for this section are as follows:

1. Decide which clauses apply to your situation. Click Don't include for those that don't apply. For the clauses you include, fill in or select supporting information to complete the clause, as prompted.
2. If there's other relevant information you wish to record, include the blank text box found at the end of each topic. Insert your own statement here. Include specific and factual details, including the date (where possible).
3. If you have documentation to support one of your statements, include it as an exhibit. Select the clause found at the end of each section that says, "Attached as Exhibit…". Exhibits must be labelled in chronological order (A, B, C, etc.) in the affidavit. The commissioner who swears your affidavit must also review, label, and sign each exhibit.

Click Show instructions at the beginning of each topic for more information and specific directions.

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Although none of the content clauses are technically mandatory, these General Information clauses are important to include in your affidavit.

1. Decide which clauses apply to your situation. Click Don't include for the clauses that don't apply.
2. For clauses 1 – 6, choose the ones that best describe your reasons for swearing this child support affidavit. If your situation isn't covered by clauses 1 – 6, include clause 7 and enter your own statement in the text box.
3. For clauses 8 – 10, choose the one that reflects the current child support arrangements. If your situation isn't covered by clauses 8 – 10, include clause 11 and enter your own statement in the text box.
4. For clauses 12 and 13, choose the one that applies:
   a. If there are no previous agreements or orders about child support, choose clause 12.
   b. If there are previous agreements or orders about child support, choose clause 13.
5. Include clause 14 if you have a previous agreement or order about child support that has been filed with the BC Family Maintenance Agency.
6. Include clause 15 if your agreement or order about child support has been filed with the BC Family Maintenance Agency, and arrears have accrued for unpaid child support. Attach documentation from the BC Family Maintenance Agency showing the arrears as an exhibit.
7. Include clause 16 if you're applying to change an order or agreement about child support. There must have been a change in circumstances since the order or agreement. Explain this and why a change in the child support arrangements is required. The most common changes in circumstance that justify changes to child support are:
   • a change in your or the other party's income or employment,
   • a child no longer being eligible for child support, or
   • a change in the parenting arrangements.
8. Include clause 17 if there's other relevant information you wish to record. Insert your own statement in the text box.
9. Include clause 18 if you have supporting documentation you wish to attach. Include it as an exhibit and insert the exhibit number (A, B, C, etc.) in chronological order.

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In most cases, a person who's claiming child support, or is responding to a claim for child support, is required under the court rules to fill out and swear a Financial Statement (Form F8). This form requires the parties to attach their last three years' tax returns and Notices of Assessment. It also requires information about current income and expenses.

The Financial Statement helps the court determine the proper incomes of both parties (their "guideline incomes"). The parties' guideline incomes can be used to determine child support according to the Federal Child Support Guidelines.

It's important to include information about your and the other party's income and employment so that the court can make appropriate orders.

1. Decide which clauses apply to your situation and fill in the text boxes as instructed. Click Don't include for the clauses that don't apply.
2. Include the appropriate clauses 19 – 24 to describe your income and employment circumstances.
3. Include the appropriate clauses 25 – 29 to describe the other party's income and employment circumstances.
4. Include clauses 30 – 32 if you have concerns about the other party's income or employment circumstances:
   a. Choose clause 30 if there's information you think is incorrect or missing in the other party's Financial Statement.
   b. Choose clause 31 if you believe that child support should be based on an income that's different from what the other party earns. For example, you may think that the other party is under-employed: they've taken a job below their skill level or previous income level, have reduced the amount they work, or work part time when they could work full time. If the court agrees that the party doesn't have a good reason for this or isn't making efforts to be fully employed, the court can impute a higher income to the other party. Child support could be based on the imputed income.
   c. Include clause 32 if you're asking the court to impute a different income to the other party. The imputed income you ask for must be based on reasonable grounds, such as minimum wage or the other party's previous income.
5. Include clause 33 if there's other relevant information you wish to record. Insert your own statement in the text box.
6. Include clause 34 if you have supporting documentation you wish to attach. Include it as an exhibit and insert the exhibit number (A, B, C, etc.) in chronological order.

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Who pays child support in a family depends partly on the parenting arrangements for the children. This portion of your affidavit will describe your current parenting time or contact arrangements.

1. Decide which clauses apply to your situation and fill in the text boxes as instructed. Click Don't include for the clauses that don't apply.
2. For clauses 35 – 38, choose the clause that represents the parenting schedule since separation. If your situation isn't covered by clauses 35 – 38, choose clause 39 and enter your own statement.
3. Include clause 40 if your child is over the age of 19. See When does child support end? for more information.
4. For clauses 41 – 43, include those that apply.
5. Include clause 44 if there's other relevant information you wish to record. Insert your own statement in the text box.
6. Include clause 45 if you have supporting documentation you wish to attach. Include it as an exhibit and insert the exhibit number (A, B, C, etc.) in chronological order.

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Special or extraordinary expenses are child-related expenses that go beyond what's covered by the child support itself. For information on what is and isn't a special or extraordinary expense, see Child support.

1. Decide which clauses apply to your situation and fill in the text boxes as instructed. Click Don't include for the clauses that don't apply.
2. Include clause 46 if your child has special or extraordinary expenses and list them in the text box.
3. Include clause 47 to attach receipts for the special or extraordinary expenses.
4. Include clauses 48 – 53 as needed to explain why the special or extraordinary expenses are important or necessary. Attach relevant documents, such as applicable reports, assessments for special needs, elite athlete status, and recommendations for activity.
5. Include the appropriate clause 54 – 56 if the other party is claiming special or extraordinary expenses that you disagree with. Specify the expense and, for clause 56, explain why you disagree.
6. Include clause 57 if there's other relevant information you wish to record. Insert your own statement in the text box.
7. Include clause 58 if you have supporting documentation you wish to attach. Include it as an exhibit and insert the exhibit number (A, B, C, etc.) in chronological order.

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Use these clauses if you're the person being asked to pay child support (the payor) and arrears have accrued (piled up).

1. Choose clauses 59 or 60 if you have a spousal support agreement or order already in place, but you've been unable to pay the support, and arrears have accrued. Describe efforts you made to pay your obligation or to change the spousal support agreement or order.
2. Choose the appropriate clause 61 or 62 if you're applying to reduce or cancel arrears owing for spousal support. Section 174 of the Family Law Act says that arrears may only be reduced or cancelled if it would be grossly unfair not to do so.
3. Include clause 63 if there's other relevant information you wish to record. Insert your own statement in the text box.
4. Include clause 64 if you have supporting documentation you wish to attach. Include it as an exhibit and insert the exhibit number (A, B, C, etc.) in chronological order.

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If the other party is applying for orders about any of the issues above, you may want to explain why you disagree with the request or tell your side of the story.

If you're responding to a specific claim, use the above sections as guidance. Go through the other party's affidavit and respond to the points they make, referring to specific paragraphs. For example, you can say "I disagree with statements in paragraph 4 of the claimant's affidavit. My recollection of the event is as follows…".

1. Include clause 65 if you're responding to an application of the other party for child support orders. Specify the order they're requesting in the text box.
2. Include clause 66 to record a specific incident that reflects your side of the story. Include the date and specific, factual details.
3. Include clause 67 if there's other relevant information you wish to record. Insert your own statement in the text box.
4. Include clause 68 if you have supporting documentation you wish to attach. Include it as an exhibit and insert the exhibit number (A, B, C, etc.) in chronological order.

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You may want to include additional statements or exhibits if there's more information you wish to share with the court regarding child support. You may include more than one of each clause, as needed:

1. Include clauses 69 – 72 if there's other relevant information you wish to record. Insert your own statement in the text box.
2. Include clauses 73 – 76 if you have supporting documentation you wish to attach. Include it as an exhibit.