Unterhaltsvorschuss für Kinder von Alleinerziehenden beantragen

Are you a single parent and receive no or only partial maintenance from the other parent? Then you can apply for an advance on maintenance payments under certain conditions.

You will receive advance maintenance payments for your child if you are raising it in your household without another parent against whom the child is entitled to maintenance. This maintenance is not paid by the other parent/debtor, or is paid incompletely or irregularly. The child's center of life must clearly be in your household. You must also not have married a new partner.

If these eligibility requirements are met, the maintenance advance will be paid to you until your child reaches the age of majority. The following applies: For children between the ages of twelve and 18, maintenance advance is only paid if your child is not dependent on citizen's allowance or if you earn a gross monthly income of at least 600 euros while receiving citizen's allowance.

The amount of the maintenance advance depends on the age of your child. From January 1, 2024, the following amounts will apply

• 230 euros per month for children aged 0 to 5 years
• for children from 6 to 11 years 301 euros per month
• for children from 12 to 17 years 395 euros per month

In addition to the application form, depending on the individual case, the following may be required

• Birth certificate or certificate of descent of your child or extract from the family register, equivalent proof if applicable
• Proof of any changes to your child's name
• Registration certificate of your child
• Residence permit (if a non-EU national)
• Certificate of your child's school education if your child is 15 years or older
• If applicable, proof of your child's income, including half-orphan benefits or similar
• Proof of SGB II/SGB XII benefits, if applicable
• Divorce decree, if applicable
• If applicable, proof of paternity (if this is not evident from the birth certificate)
• If applicable, proof of ongoing paternity or contestation proceedings
• If applicable, death certificate of the other parent or equivalent proof
• If applicable, proof of residence of the other parent (if in hospital, sanatorium or nursing home, imprisonment)
• If applicable, maintenance title (deed, order, judgment) for your child
• If applicable, proof of maintenance payments for your child, e.g. bank statements
• If applicable, proof of efforts (by a lawyer) to enforce maintenance payments

The following requirements must be met for the approval of advance maintenance payments:

• You and your child live together in Germany.
• You are raising your child alone and your child's main place of residence is clearly in your household.
• The other parent does not pay your child any maintenance, only irregular maintenance or incomplete maintenance.
• After the age of 12, your child is only entitled to advance maintenance payments if he or she is not dependent on Citizen's Allowance or if you earn your own income of at least EUR 600 gross per month while receiving Citizen's Allowance.
• If your child does not have German citizenship, they can also receive an advance on maintenance payments if they have certain residence permits.
  

There are no costs.

You can apply for advance maintenance payments in writing to the youth welfare office responsible for your place of residence.

Many maintenance advance offices also offer an online service.
The documents required in addition to the application form depend on the individual case.

Once the application has been received, the maintenance advance office will check whether there is an entitlement. You will receive a decision from the maintenance advance office.

You are obliged to provide information required for the implementation of the Maintenance Advance Act or to cooperate in establishing paternity or the whereabouts of the other parent. You must notify the Maintenance Advance Office immediately of any changes in your circumstances for the entire period in which you receive benefits.

The duration of processing depends on the current staff and work situation of the maintenance advance office.

Advance maintenance payments can be granted retroactively for one month if you or your child can prove that you have made efforts to obtain maintenance payments from the parent who is liable to pay maintenance.

The following information is available:

• Children between the ages of 12 and 18 are only entitled to an advance on maintenance payments if the child is not dependent on SGB II benefits or if the single parent in receipt of SGB II benefits has a gross income of at least EUR 600.00.
• The other parent must repay the maintenance advance to the
• the maintenance advance office. If the debtor does not pay, the maintenance advance office can sue for repayment and enforce it

Information brochure on the maintenance advance on the website of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth:

• Advance maintenance payment approval
• Child maintenance is not paid or only paid in part
• Child is resident or habitually resident in Germany
• Foreign children are only entitled if they have certain residence permits.
• Children up to the age of 18
• Parent is a single parent (e.g. also widowed)
• Parent and child must live in the same household
• for children up to 5 years EUR 230 per month
• for children from 6 to 11 years EUR 301 per month
• for children from 12 to 18 years EUR 395 per month
• Responsible: Maintenance advance offices in the youth welfare offices of the cities and districts

Maintenance advance offices in the youth welfare offices of the cities and districts

Maintenance advance office of the municipality

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible : No
Personal appearance necessary: No