Parental alimony

Legal basis of the obligation to pay alimony

Your parents are legally obliged to support you until you obtain your first professional qualification.

Under certain circumstances, this can also be a degree course following an apprenticeship. If your parents' income is not sufficient, funding is usually possible under the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG). With regard to maintenance, the higher regional courts in Germany are based on a monthly maintenance requirement for students of 930 euros plus the contribution to health and long-term care insurance and the re-registration fees. If you are still living at home, your maintenance requirements will be different. The amount of maintenance is based on the Düsseldorfer-Tabelle. However, the actual amount of maintenance is always calculated individually and depends, among other things, on your parents' income, your own income and your actual needs. Parents can request proof that their child is studying in accordance with the study regulations.

We will inform you about the basics of maintenance obligations and discuss with you what options you have if your parents are unable or refuse to pay your maintenance. Sometimes the relationship between students and their parents is so broken that it is difficult or impossible to reach an agreement on maintenance. If this is the case for you, we recommend that you contact us or the relevant legal advice centres.