Minimum child maintenance payments in Germany will go up in the coming year. However, in many cases the increase is less than 1 percent. 

Child maintenance in Germany going up in 2022

From the beginning of 2022, parents who are divorced or separated in Germany will have to pay more maintenance for their underage children. The increases aren’t as strong as in previous years, ranging from around five euros to nothing. 

Accordingly, children up to the age of six are entitled to a minimum maintenance of 396 euros per month, an increase of three euros. For children aged between six and 11, the minimum payment is increasing by four euros to at least 455 euros per month. For children aged 12 to 17, parents will have to pay at least 533 euros per month. Children above the age of 18 are entitled to 569 euros per month. 

These are the minimum amounts, and are adjusted upwards according to the parent’s income, following the rates laid out by the so-called Düsseldorf Table. 

Düsseldorf Table used to calculate alimony in Germany

The “Düsseldorf Table” is used as a guideline by all courts in Germany to determine maintenance obligations. All children in Germany are entitled to child support. If their parents separate, one provides maintenance in the form of room and board, while the other provides support in the form of money. Child support is fixed soon after the separation, at a rate agreed upon by both parents. 

Single-parent families are entitled to child maintenance payments until the child becomes of age (at 18), leaves full-time education, or gets married. The parent paying maintenance can deduct half of the child benefit from their obligation, since this also counts as part of the child’s “income”. The maintenance payments are also deductible on the parent’s income tax return.