A Singapore family court has ordered a Canadian man to pay nearly S$634,000 in backdated maintenance after ruling that he deliberately quit a high-paying job to avoid supporting his estranged wife and four children.
The man, a senior corporate executive who was earning more than S$860,000 a year in Singapore, resigned in October 2023 shortly after his wife sought monthly maintenance. He later moved back to Canada, claiming personal and professional pressure forced him to leave.
The court rejected that claim, stating that his decision to resign did not release him from his financial responsibilities.
The couple, both Canadian citizens, had been living in Singapore since 2013 with their four children. The husband worked in a multinational corporation under an expatriate contract, while the wife stayed at home and cared for the family. Their children attended international schools.
In August 2023, the marriage broke down after the man moved out of the family home and began living with another woman. Initially, he offered to pay S$20,000 a month in maintenance and cover rent, school fees and transport. This amount was later reduced to S$11,000.
After financial support was cut further, the wife filed a maintenance application in early October 2023, stating that the reduced payments did not meet the family&rsquo;s needs or match their previous standard of living.
Days later, the man resigned from his Singapore job even though he could have continued working under the same contract until mid 2024. He left Singapore in January 2024, which delayed the court proceedings. When he failed to attend a scheduled hearing, a warrant was briefly issued before being lifted later that year.
The man argued that rumours about his separation had damaged his reputation at work and forced him to quit. The court found no evidence that his employer intended to terminate him and ruled that embarrassment did not make the resignation involuntary.
In its decision, the court said earning capacity must be assessed based on what a person is capable of earning, not just current income. Until the man secured a new job in Canada in October 2024, his earning ability was calculated based on his Singapore salary.
The judge noted that instead of finding alternative employment before resigning, the man chose to reduce support and leave a lucrative position.
Only after he began working in Canada at a lower salary did the court recognise a genuine drop in income. From October 2024 onwards, both parents were ordered to contribute equally to household expenses, as the wife was also capable of working.
The court found that the man had failed to properly maintain his family from September 2023 and paid nothing at all for several months. After assessing rent, utilities, groceries, schooling, transport and domestic help, total maintenance for two years was set at S$788,300.
Since he had already paid part of the amount, the remaining S$633,916.19 must be paid as a lump sum by January 15, 2026.
The man has appealed the ruling, and enforcement has been paused until the appeal is decided.

Court Orders Ex-Executive to Pay ₹6 Cr in Dues

Man who quit Singapore job after separation told he cannot escape financial duty to wife

Court Orders Ex-Executive to Pay ₹6 Cr in Dues

Man who quit Singapore job after separation told he cannot escape financial duty to wife

January 20, 2026 | 14:53 IST