Maintenance for Children of Single Parent Students

Unlike children who live with both parents, your children are entitled to maintenance payments from the other parent. There are clear legal regulations for this (based on the Düsseldorf table, which is adjusted annually).
If the other parent is not able to pay maintenance (for example, because he is also a student), you have the possibility to apply for an advance on maintenance (UVG) at the youth welfare office (Jugendamt).
The amount of the maintenance advance depends on the age of the children and, since 1 January 2019, it has been:

for children up to 5 years: 160€ per month,
for children from 6 to 11 years: 212€ per month,
for children from 12 to 17 years: 282€ per month.

The advance on maintenance payments is (as the name suggests) an "advance". This can be applied for if the other parent does not pay any or too little maintenance. After the application has been received by the youth welfare office (Jugendamt), the youth welfare office will draw the attention of the other parent to his or her maintenance obligation and demand proof of income. The youth welfare office will then enter into negotiations with the other parent about their financial capacity to support their child(ren).

FAQ

Who can help if we, as parents, cannot agree on the maintenance payments?

For the "foster parent" (the one with whom the child lives predominantly), there is the possibility to set up a free support service for the child at the youth welfare office. This calculates the child support according to the Düsseldorf table. If, nevertheless, there is disagreement, the family court sets the alimony in the form of a title.

Do I have to apply for a maintenance advance?

As soon as you receive ALG 2, the maintenance advance is a so-called priority payment. This means that you must have exhausted all other possibilities (including explicitly the advance on maintenance payments) in order to receive social benefits for yourself or your child.

Can we make alimony agreements other than those stipulated in the Düsseldorf table?

Of course, as long as you are in agreement and do not receive any social benefits, you as parents can freely decide how you organise your child's livelihood and care together.