Do I qualify for legal representation?

Some of the things an intake legal assistant will include in your monthly income are:

• employment,
• self-employed business income,
• social assistance benefits,
• Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits,
• disability pensions or benefits,
• spousal support,
• student loans,
• money from boarders (including children who pay rent) or rental property,
• income of spouse and
• income of a common-law partner you have lived with for two years or more, or with whom you have a child.

An intake legal assistant at your legal aid office will calculate your net income by adding your income from all relevant sources, then subtracting allowable deductions.

Some of the things they won’t include in monthly income are:

• child support,
• the Child Tax Benefit,
• the BC Family Bonus,
• GST payments,
• tuition or book fees under federal or provincial student loans, or
• children’s income.

Some of the allowable deductions may include:

• mandatory deductions from your pay such as income tax, EI, and CPP;
• daycare expenses;
• Medical Service Plan payments;
• child or spousal maintenance payments that you or your partner are paying;
• court fines that, if not paid, will mean you or your partner will go to jail;
• travel costs for child access visits; and
• medical or dental expenses or medication you must personally pay for that a doctor says is necessary for you or your dependants.