Spousal support and social assistance
You must give OW or ODSP information about your former spouses and any spousal support agreements. If you do not do this, OW or ODSP can refuse, reduce, or cut off your benefits.
Spousal support payments affect the amount of money you get from OW or ODSP. Your money from OW or ODSP is reduced by the amount of spousal support.
But this happens only if your spouse actually gives you the money they’re supposed to give you. If you do not get your spousal support payment, OW or ODSP will not reduce the money they give you.
Reporting spousal support
You must tell OW or ODSP if you get spousal support. If you get the same amount of spousal support as you got the month before, you do not have to report it.
But if your spousal support goes up or down, you have to tell OW or ODSP. You can do this:
- online through your MyBenefits account
- by filling out the form that OW or ODSP sends you each month to report changes to your income
- by giving your caseworker a copy of a new agreement or court order that shows the change.
If you did not get any spousal support for a month and do not believe you will get any more, you must:
- write an affidavit that says this,
- fill out a Declaration form, and
- fill out an Agreement to Reimburse form.
Talk to your caseworker about where to find these forms. And ask a community legal clinic if you need help.
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