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Maintenance Advance

Mutter mit zwei Kindern auf dem Spielplatz

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Link to contact information

No child should have to suffer financial hardship. In the case of single parents, the maintenance advance fund helps out if the other parent does not or cannot provide sufficient support for the child. In this case, your child will be paid an advance by the state.

Entitlement to a maintenance advance

Your child, whom you are raising alone, is entitled to advance maintenance payments if he or she is
  • is not yet 18 years old
  • lives with you in Germany,
  • and receives no or insufficient support from the other parent.
After the age of 12, your child is entitled only if one of the following conditions is met:
  • You or your child do not receive unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld – SGB II).
  • Your child’s need for assistance can be prevented by the advance on maintenance payments
  • You have a gross monthly income of at least 600 euros and receive supplementary unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld – SGB II).

For details on the entitlement to advance maintenance payments, please refer to the following fact sheet with information on the Advance Maintenance Payments Act.

  • Information on the Advance Maintenance Payments Act (UVG)

    DE

    PDF-Document - As of: July 1st, 2024

    Download

In addition to the authoritative information sheet in German, translations are available in the following languages:

  • Fact Sheet on the Advance Maintenance Payments Act (UVG)

    EN

    PDF-Document (86.2 kB) - As of: July 1st, 2024

    Download
  • Інформація про Unterhaltsvorschussgesetz (UVG)

    UA

    PDF-Document - As of: July 1st, 2024

    Download
  • Информация о законе Unterhaltsvorschussgesetz (UVG)

    RU

    PDF-Document - As of: July 1st, 2024

    Download
  • نشرة معلومات حول قانون Unterhaltsvorschussgesetz (UVG) في نسخته السارية اعتبارًا من 1 يوليو/تموز

    AR

    PDF-Document - As of: July 1st, 2024

    Download

Amount of the maintenance advance

The amount of the advance maintenance payment is based on the statutory minimum maintenance payment. The child benefit paid from public funds is deducted from this.

The minimum maintenance was increased as of January 1, 2024.

Since January 1, 2024, the monthly advance maintenance payment will be:

since January 1, 2024
for children under 6 years 230 Euro
for children from 6 and under 12 years 301 Euro
for children from 12 and under 18 years 395 Euro

Maintenance payments by the other parent or other income of the child (e.g. half-orphan’s pension) are offset against these amounts.

Maintenance advance if you receive unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld - SGB II)

If you and your child receive unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld – SGB II) from the Jobcenter and your child has reached the age of 12, you are only entitled to advance maintenance payments under certain conditions. Please inform yourself about this with the help of the information sheet in the application for maintenance advance from July 1, 2017. It is possible that your need to secure your livelihood will continue to be ensured only by the Jobcenter.

However, if the Jobcenter assumes that there is an entitlement to priority maintenance advance, you will be requested to submit an application there.

In any case, you will receive your benefits to secure your livelihood from the Jobcenter for a transitional period (until advance maintenance payments are actually paid) without offsetting advance maintenance payments at the previous amount.

Your application for a maintenance advance

Please submit your Application for Advance Child Support with the following form to the Youth Welfare Office of your district of residence. This form also lists the documents that you must submit. Please submit your application in time, because advance maintenance payments are only paid retroactively for one month under certain conditions.

Application forms

  • Application for benefits under the UVG (Advance Maintenance Payments Act) in the currently valid version

    (In german only)

    PDF-Document (428.4 kB)

    Download
  • Supplementary information for benefits under the UVG (advance maintenance payments) in the currently valid version

    (In german only)
    for children from 12 years

    PDF-Document (166.9 kB)

    Download

Data protection

  • Data protection information on the application for benefits under the Advance Maintenance Payments Act

    (In german only)

    PDF-Document (157.3 kB) - As of: 1. Januar 2023

    Download

Further information

Further information about this

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