You receive advance maintenance payments for your child if you are raising the child in your household without another parent against whom the child has a claim to maintenance. However, this maintenance is not paid or is paid incompletely or irregularly by the other parent/by the person obliged to pay maintenance.

If the eligibility requirements are met, the advance maintenance payment will be paid to you until your child reaches the age of majority. The limit on the period of entitlement (previously max. 72 months) has been lifted.

The amount of the advance maintenance payment is based on the amount of the minimum maintenance. The advance maintenance payment is paid monthly in the amount of the minimum maintenance relevant for the age bracket in question. The amount of child benefit is deducted from this if the single parent is entitled to full child benefit.

Since 01.01.2023, the following amounts apply:

• for children up to 5 years EUR 187 per month
• for children from 6 to 11 years EUR 252 per month
• for children from 12 to 18 years EUR 338 per month

This ensures that all children receive advance maintenance payments without interruption if they need them. At the same time, an important incentive is created for households that are not in need of assistance or could become independent of basic security benefits through their own income.