How much is minimum maintenance in 2026?
€486 in the first age bracket (up to the completion of the sixth year of life), €558 in the second (up to twelve) and €653 in the third (up to adulthood). This is set out in § 1 MinUhV, which expressly gives the amounts with dates: “€482 from 1 January 2025 and €486 from 1 January 2026”, and correspondingly for the other brackets. If you read €480, €551 and €645 anywhere, these are the 2024 figures – they keep circulating with remarkable persistence.
Why do I transfer less than minimum maintenance?
Because the needs amount and the amount paid are two different things: the Kindergeld is deducted from the needs amount. For a minor child living with one parent, this happens by half – so, with a Kindergeld of €259, that is €129.50. €486, €558 and €653 in needs amount therefore become amounts paid of around €356.50, €428.50 and €523.50. This is not a reduction, but the offsetting provided for by law: the Kindergeld is meant to benefit both parents, and the parent who provides care receives their share by having it paid out to them.
Why does maintenance fall when the child turns 18?
Because two things change at the same time. First, from the age of majority, both parents owe cash maintenance – including the one who, until then, had fulfilled their obligation through care. Second, § 1612b Abs. 1 Nr. 2 BGB then applies: there is no longer a case in which one parent fulfils their obligation through care, and the Kindergeld is therefore credited “in full” instead of only by half. The needs amount of the adult child does rise, but splitting it between two paying parents and the full Kindergeld deduction mean that the amount for the parent who has been paying so far often still falls. Important: from 18, the child must assert their claims themselves.
What is a Jugendamtsurkunde?
An enforceable maintenance title, drawn up free of charge by the Jugendamt. It has the same effect as a court judgment: if the party obliged to pay does not pay, enforcement can proceed directly from it, without proceedings having to be brought first. It is drawn up voluntarily – the party obliged acknowledges their payment obligation in it. Even where payment is made reliably, it is worthwhile: it records what is owed and later avoids disputes about this. Have it drafted dynamically wherever possible, that is, as a percentage of minimum maintenance – then it will not become outdated.
What is the difference between a dynamic and a static title?
A static title states a fixed euro amount. If minimum maintenance rises – as it did on 1 January 2026 – or the child reaches the next age bracket, the title stays at its old level and has to be changed. A dynamic title, instead, is expressed as a percentage of the minimum maintenance then applicable under § 1612a BGB. It adjusts automatically, both to increases and to the change of age bracket. For children, this is almost always the better choice, and it is the most common point where the free advice pays off.
Does the Jugendamt also advise the party who has to pay?
Yes, expressly – and many people do not know it. Maintenance advice is open to both parents and is free for both. For the party liable to pay, it is often particularly useful: it covers which income is to be applied, which deductions are recognised, how other maintenance obligations affect the calculation, and where the Selbstbehalt (self-maintenance reserve) lies. A checked calculation protects against excessive claims just as much as against arrears that build up unnoticed. Just note: if a Beistandschaft is already in place for the child, the Jugendamt represents the child to that extent – in that case, also seek independent advice in addition.
What happens if payment is not made?
Two routes, and they do not rule each other out. First, the Beistandschaft: on written application, the Jugendamt becomes legal adviser to the child, asserts the claims and enforces them through the courts if necessary – free of charge for the parent providing care. Second, the maintenance advance (Unterhaltsvorschuss): if the other parent does not pay, or does not pay regularly, the state steps in. This is also decided by the Jugendamt, not the Familienkasse (Family Benefits Office). Note a difference here that often causes confusion: with the maintenance advance, the Kindergeld is deducted in full, which is why the advance is lower than the amount paid under the table.
Is the Düsseldorfer Tabelle binding?
It is not a law. The Düsseldorfer Tabelle is updated by the Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht) of Düsseldorf in coordination with the other Higher Regional Courts and is a guideline – in practice, however, a very effective one, because courts and Jugendamt offices orient themselves by it. Only minimum maintenance under § 1 MinUhV, which corresponds to the first income group, is set in a legally binding way. Everything above that – the tiering by income group, the Selbstbehalt amounts (self-maintenance reserves), the surcharges – follows from the table and the guidelines of the Higher Regional Courts and can differ. A note that applies to this whole entity: a great deal here depends on the assessment of the individual case – on the specific family situation, the age and wishes of the child, the professional assessment, and the practice of the particular Jugendamt. Where this page gives no fixed deadline or figure, that is stated deliberately – an invented figure would be more harmful here than an honest answer, because decisions about children are made on that basis.
