Germany: child support, the table, child benefit and the self-support reserve

Who pays and what the amount depends on

The parent who cares for the minor child usually fulfills the duty of support through the care and pays no cash maintenance; the other does (guidelines no. 12.1). The child can claim the support as a percentage of the minimum maintenance, which depends on age in three steps (§ 1612a BGB). The Düsseldorf Table is the guideline all higher regional courts follow: it has no force of law, and the court can deviate in the individual case.

What counts is the payer’s adjusted net income: the net after deducting specifically proven work-related expenses and debts that can be taken into account. A flat 5% is usually granted only for fictitious income (guidelines no. 10.2).

The 2026 table in figures

The 15 groups run from “up to €2,100” to “€9,701 to €11,200”. The first group is the minimum need: €486 for children up to 5, €558 from 6 to 11 and €653 from 12 to 17; for adults living with a parent it is €698. The further groups rise with percentages from 105 to 200% of the minimum need. In group 4 (€2,901 to €3,300) it is €559, €642, €751 and €803, in group 15 it is €972, €1,116, €1,306 and €1,396.

These amounts are the child’s need, not the amount the payer transfers. The table is tailored to two dependants: with more, courts can place the payer one group lower, with fewer one higher (note A I).

Child benefit is credited

The child benefit of €259 per child serves the child’s cash need: for a minor cared for by the other parent half of it, otherwise in full (§ 1612b BGB). The payment is therefore the table amount minus €129.50 for minors and minus €259 for adults. In the first group that is €356.50, €428.50 and €523.50, for adults €439. Example: with €3,000 adjusted net (group 4), the father pays for an 8-year-old child €642 minus €129.50 = €512.50.

Self-support reserve, step-down and shortfall case

The payer must keep, against minor children, their necessary self-support reserve: €1,450 when working, €1,200 without (note A VII). If the income after deducting the reserve is not enough for the amounts of their group, they are stepped down as far as the lowest group. If it is still too little, there is a shortfall case: the sum left after the reserve is distributed among the children in proportion to the minimum amounts after deducting child benefit (note C).

The official example: €1,750 income, €1,450 reserve, €300 to distribute; children of 18, 7 and 5 with starting amounts of €439, €428.50 and €356.50 get €107.60, €105.02 and €87.38. There is also the need-control amount per group: if the payer is left with less after paying support, the court can apply the next lower group (note A III).

What the table does not include

Not included are the child’s health and long-term care insurance, if not covered by family insurance, and tuition fees (guidelines no. 11.1). Additional needs, such as tutoring, and special needs come on top; special needs can also be claimed retroactively (§ 1613 para. 2 BGB). For an adult child with their own household a need of €990 generally applies, and both parents are liable according to their income.

If the support does not come

Ask the other parent in writing for information on income and assets, with proof (§ 1605 BGB): for the past you can claim support only from the month in which you asked them or they fell into default (§ 1613 para. 1 BGB). The youth welfare office becomes the child’s assistant on written application and asserts the claims (§ 1712 BGB); its recording officer records the payment obligation for children up to 21 (§ 59 SGB VIII).

If the other parent does not pay or not regularly, there are advance maintenance payments: €227 for children up to 5, €299 from 6 to 11 and, under conditions, €394 from 12 to 17 (§ 1 and § 2 UhVorschG). It is claimed at the advance maintenance office of the youth welfare office, and it is paid retroactively for one month only.