German Child Maintenance Calculator 2026
Enter the paying parent's income and the children. The result appears instantly.
Income after tax and social security. Please subtract debts or other deductions yourself.
For example commuting costs. Many courts allow 5% of net income without proof, often capped at €150. In North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen and Schleswig-Holstein only proven costs count.
This sets your protected minimum (Selbstbehalt): €1,450 if employed, otherwise €1,200.
0 to 17 years. Adult children (18 to 20) only if they live with a parent and attend school.
Advanced: adjust the income group
The table assumes two people are owed maintenance. With more or fewer, a court may use a lower or higher group. There is no fixed rule for this. If unsure, leave the setting unchanged.
How it was calculated
- Net income
- €3,000.00
- minus work-related costs
- €0.00
- Income used for the table
- €3,000.00
- Income group per table
- Group 4
- Group applied
- Group 4
- Control amount for this group
- €1,950.00
- Your protected minimum
- €1,450.00
- Left for you after maintenance
- €2,487.50
Düsseldorfer Tabelle, as of 01.01.2026 · Estimate, not legal advice · Check the table at OLG Düsseldorf
Amount per child under the Düsseldorfer Tabelle, with child benefit and the working shown. · Checked against the Düsseldorfer Tabelle (Higher Regional Court Düsseldorf)
Reviewed by Abdul Rafay (source-checked against the Düsseldorfer Tabelle and guidelines, November 2026) · Published November 2026 · Table as of 01.01.2026
How the calculator works
The Düsseldorfer Tabelle places the adjusted net income into one of 15 income groups. Each group gives a child's need for four age bands. Child benefit is then deducted: half for minors, the full amount for adult children. What remains is the amount payable.
| Group | Net income | 0 to 5 | 6 to 11 | 12 to 17 | 18 and over | Percent | Control amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | up to 2,100 | 486 | 558 | 653 | 698 | 100 % | 1,200 / 1,450 |
| 2 | 2,101 to 2,500 | 511 | 586 | 686 | 733 | 105 % | 1,750 |
| 3 | 2,501 to 2,900 | 535 | 614 | 719 | 768 | 110 % | 1,850 |
| 4 | 2,901 to 3,300 | 559 | 642 | 751 | 803 | 115 % | 1,950 |
| 5 | 3,301 to 3,700 | 584 | 670 | 784 | 838 | 120 % | 2,050 |
| 6 | 3,701 to 4,100 | 623 | 715 | 836 | 894 | 128 % | 2,150 |
| 7 | 4,101 to 4,500 | 661 | 759 | 889 | 950 | 136 % | 2,250 |
| 8 | 4,501 to 4,900 | 700 | 804 | 941 | 1,006 | 144 % | 2,350 |
| 9 | 4,901 to 5,300 | 739 | 849 | 993 | 1,061 | 152 % | 2,450 |
| 10 | 5,301 to 5,700 | 778 | 893 | 1,045 | 1,117 | 160 % | 2,550 |
| 11 | 5,701 to 6,400 | 817 | 938 | 1,098 | 1,173 | 168 % | 2,850 |
| 12 | 6,401 to 7,200 | 856 | 983 | 1,150 | 1,229 | 176 % | 3,250 |
| 13 | 7,201 to 8,200 | 895 | 1,027 | 1,202 | 1,285 | 184 % | 3,750 |
| 14 | 8,201 to 9,700 | 934 | 1,072 | 1,254 | 1,341 | 192 % | 4,350 |
| 15 | 9,701 to 11,200 | 972 | 1,116 | 1,306 | 1,396 | 200 % | 5,050 |
Source: Düsseldorfer Tabelle, OLG Düsseldorf. Group 1 matches the statutory minimum maintenance; the other groups rise in percentage steps and are rounded up.
Rules
Important rules and special cases
- 01
The table is a guideline, not a law
The Higher Regional Courts use the Düsseldorfer Tabelle as a benchmark. A court can deviate in an individual case. This calculator therefore shows an estimate.
- 02
Net income and work-related costs
The calculation uses adjusted net income. Work-related costs, such as commuting, can reduce it. Whether a 5% flat rate applies without proof depends on the court: in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen and Schleswig-Holstein only proven costs are accepted, while other districts, for example Dresden, Frankfurt or Bavaria, allow the flat rate. The calculator therefore deducts nothing automatically. Enter your costs yourself.
- 03
Child benefit reduces the amount payable
Under section 1612b of the German Civil Code (BGB), child benefit is credited against the need: half for minors, in full for adult children. Child benefit is €259 per child per month, so half is €129.50.
- 04
The control amount protects your income
Each group names an amount that should be left to you after maintenance. If it would be undercut, the calculator applies the next lower group where it is kept.
- 05
When income is not enough (Mangelfall)
Your protected minimum (Selbstbehalt) is €1,450 if employed and €1,200 if not. If income beyond that does not cover all claims, the rest is shared between the children in proportion to their claims.
- 06
More or fewer people owed maintenance
The table assumes two people. With more or fewer, a court may choose a lower or higher group. There is no fixed rule, so the adjustment is an explicit setting in the calculator and is off by default.
FAQ