Many separated and divorced parents in Edmonton assume child support has a clear expiry date: the child's 18th birthday. That assumption is common, and it is often wrong. In Alberta, turning 18 does not automatically end a parent's obligation to pay child support.
Eighteen is the age of majority in Alberta, but the age of majority and the end of child support are not the same thing. Depending on the child's circumstances, support can continue well past that birthday — and that surprises people on both sides of a file, whether they expect to keep paying or keep receiving it.
This article looks at when support can continue for an adult child, what a court considers, and — importantly — what happens if a parent simply stops paying without addressing the existing order. For the base calculation itself — income, the tables, and the 2025 update — see our companion article on how child support is calculated in Alberta.
Does child support automatically stop when my child turns 18 in Alberta?
No, not automatically. Eighteen is the age of majority in Alberta, but reaching that age does not, by itself, end a parent's child support obligation. Child support is the right of the child, not a benefit either parent controls, and an existing order or agreement does not expire simply because a birthday arrives.
Whether support continues past 18 depends on the child's actual circumstances at that time, not on the date alone.
Does the Divorce Act or Alberta's Family Law Act decide if support continues for an adult child?
Which law applies generally depends on whether the parents were married. Married or divorcing parents typically fall under the federal Divorce Act, usually in the Court of King's Bench of Alberta. Parents who were never married, including adult interdependent partners, generally fall under Alberta's Family Law Act, often in the Alberta Court of Justice.
Both statutes allow support to continue past the age of majority in some circumstances, but they do not define a supported or dependent child identically, and the practical effect can differ. A family lawyer can confirm which framework applies to your order or agreement, and how it treats your adult child.
When can child support continue past the age of majority?
Support can continue where the adult child remains unable to withdraw from the charge of their parents, or to obtain the necessaries of life — commonly because of illness, disability, or a full-time program of education. For Edmonton families, the most common scenario is a child who has turned 18 but is enrolled full-time in post-secondary studies.
This is not automatic simply because a child is in school or unwell. The test looks at the child's actual ability to support themselves, not their age or student status alone, and some situations involve more than one factor at once.
Does my adult child still get the standard table amount of child support?
Not necessarily. For a child who has not yet reached the age of majority, support generally follows the Federal Child Support Guidelines table amount tied to the paying parent's income. For an adult child, a court has discretion to order an amount it considers appropriate, having regard to the child's condition, means, needs, and other circumstances, and each parent's ability to contribute.
In practice, that can mean the table amount continues, is adjusted, or is replaced with a different approach — including what the child is expected to contribute from their own income or savings. There is no default outcome; it depends on the family's specific facts.
Separate costs tied to a child's education — such as tuition or other extraordinary expenses — can also raise section 7 considerations, covered in our article on special and extraordinary expenses.
What does a court look at if my adult child is in college or university?
Courts commonly weigh several factors together, rather than applying a fixed rule, including:
| Factor | What it typically involves |
|---|---|
| Full-time enrollment | Whether the child is enrolled full-time, and whether that course load is realistic for the program |
| Academic progress | Whether the child is making reasonable progress toward completing the program |
| Living situation | Whether the child lives at home, in residence, or independently, and how that affects actual costs |
| The child's own income and savings | Any employment income, savings, or assets the child has available to contribute |
| Student financial aid | Available student loans, grants, bursaries, and scholarships, and whether the child has pursued them |
| Reasonableness of the education plan | Whether the program and pace reflect a sensible, good-faith plan rather than an open-ended arrangement |
No single factor controls the outcome; courts weigh them together against the family's overall circumstances.
Can I just stop paying child support when my child turns 18?
No. This is the most important practical point in this article: an existing child support order or agreement does not stop by itself. It continues to apply on its own terms — including any age or event it names for support to end — until it is changed by agreement, varied by a court, or otherwise expires by its own wording.
A parent who stops paying because a child has turned 18, without first confirming whether the order has actually ended, risks accumulating arrears. Arrears are calculated against what the order required, not what a parent believed should apply, and a reasonable argument does not make them disappear on its own. If circumstances have genuinely changed, the appropriate step is to address the order itself, not to stop paying and assume it will sort itself out.
Recipients should be cautious too: assuming support automatically continues at the same amount, without confirming the order still covers the child's current situation, can create its own uncertainty.
What should Edmonton families do as a child approaches 18?
It is worth reviewing the existing order or agreement around a child's 18th birthday, rather than assuming it self-updates. Practical steps include:
- Read the existing order or agreement carefully. Some name a specific end date or event; others are silent and rely on default rules.
- Confirm the child's actual circumstances. Full-time study, part-time study, employment, or independence can all affect whether support should continue.
- Gather relevant information early. Enrollment confirmation, course load, income, and financial aid details are often the starting point for any discussion.
- Talk to the other parent where possible. Many families are able to agree on how to handle support for an adult child without a contested process.
- Get legal advice before changing what you pay or expect to receive. This applies whatever the situation, and separately from whether a recalculation service or a court variation is the more suitable route.
Common questions
Does child support end automatically once my child graduates high school?
No. Graduating high school does not, by itself, end child support. What matters afterward is the child's circumstances — including whether they move into full-time post-secondary studies, become employed, or become otherwise self-supporting.
Is there a maximum age for child support in Alberta?
There is no simple fixed age at which support always ends. Whether it continues depends on the child's circumstances, assessed on the specific facts of each family.
Does it matter if my child lives away from home while at school?
It can. Where a child lives, and how that affects their actual costs and independence, is one of several factors a court may weigh alongside enrollment, progress, and financial resources.
What if my adult child has a disability?
Support can continue for an adult child who remains unable to withdraw from parental charge because of an illness or disability, assessed on that child's specific and current circumstances.
Practical takeaway
In Alberta, turning 18 does not automatically end child support. Support can continue for an adult child who remains dependent — commonly because of full-time post-secondary education, or an illness or disability — and a court has discretion to set an amount appropriate to that child's circumstances rather than defaulting to the standard table amount. Whatever the situation, an existing order keeps applying until it is properly changed, so the safest step for either parent is to review the order and get advice rather than assume the obligation has ended.
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. If you have a question about child support for a child approaching or past the age of majority in Edmonton or elsewhere in Alberta, speak with a family lawyer about your specific order, your child's circumstances, and your options.