Saldiran v Saldiran: A Gap Year Doesn’t Automatically End Child Support

In Saldiran v Saldiran, 2026 ABKB 67, McGuire J concluded that the couple’s son retained his status as a child of the marriage throughout his gap year, meaning the father remained liable for the child support payments he had suspended. The Court explained that whether a student on a gap year continues to count as a “child of the marriage” turns on the particular reasons for the pause in education. In this instance, the son suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery and spent the initial portion of his break awaiting that procedure. Once the operation was complete, it was clear he was gearing up to begin university in September, with both parents fully aware of and supportive of his educational trajectory. He had not been seeking independence at that stage, and his reliance on parental support during this short transition was reasonable.

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