Prien is planning an income limit for single parents when it comes to advance maintenance payments
The Family Ministry is planning an income limit of 40,000 euros for the state maintenance advance in order to relieve the burden on the budget.
Quick Look
- The Family Ministry is planning an income limit of 40,000 euros for the state maintenance advance.
- In addition, the pressure on defaulters on maintenance debts should be increased through measures such as driving bans in order to relieve the burden on the federal budget.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Expenditure on maintenance advances increased from 861 million euros in 2016 to 3.27 billion euros in 2025. This is due to the gradual expansion of benefits up to the age of majority.
In the future, single parents will only receive a state maintenance advance up to a certain income limit. As the AFP news agency learned on Wednesday, this should be a taxable annual income of 40,000 euros.
To this end, the Family Ministry submitted a new draft of the Maintenance Advance Law to be coordinated with the other ministries. In this way, the “service reaches the children who depend on it more specifically,” said Federal Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU).
There is a right to a state maintenance advance if the parent liable for maintenance does not fulfill their obligations, is not known or has died. In order to meet the savings requirements, the ministry no longer wanted to cover the entitlement until the child came of age, but only until the child's 16th birthday. After heavy criticism, this is off the table.
Instead, the state only steps in for single parents who earn less than the income limit, which is set to take effect from 2029. If the single parent has several children who are entitled to benefits according to the law, the amount increases by 10,000 euros for each additional child, as the ministry announced. In addition, in the future “payments will generally only be made if the other parent has been identified”.
“With our new draft, we are meeting the goal of continuing to provide reliable support for single parents,” said Prien. “We also do not lose sight of the goal of reducing the burden on the federal budget, but also on the budgets of the states and municipalities, through targeted provision of benefits and more effective recourse.”
At the same time, the draft law is intended to increase the pressure on defaulting payers. “Maintenance debtors will be asked to pay more in the future,” said Prien. The possibility of a driving ban should be introduced to enforce the obligations. In addition, the maintenance debtor's obligation to provide information should be tightened.
Expenses for maintenance advances have increased significantly in recent years: while they were 861 million euros in 2016, in 2025 they were already 3.27 billion euros. The reason is that the benefit was originally only paid to children up to the age of six and for a maximum of 36 months. However, it was gradually expanded and has been paid since 2017 until the age of majority without a maximum benefit period.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Introduction of an income limit of 40,000 euros for maintenance advances from 2029.
Likely · Within years
Open Questions
- When exactly does the law come into force?
- How is the implementation of the driving bans legally structured?
