In many families, child maintenance or child support is a topic of conflict. There are often difficulties in reaching an agreement between the parents when it comes to the specific assessment of the monetary maintenance from the parent who is not the main carer.A common misconception is that child maintenance is only owed until the child’s 18th birthday. However, this is not correct. In principle, parents are obliged to pay maintenance until the children are capable of supporting themselves. To put it simply, a person is able to support himself or herself if he or she is able to support himself or herself through his or her own efforts (income, assets). This usually means having a job. If the child marries, the spouse is generally liable for maintenance. If the child enters into a partnership, the parents are exempt (only) if the child actually receives maintenance payments from the partner. But what about children who want to study? And what about so-called dawdling students?
Do both parents have to pay?
In the case of parents who live separately, the one who looks after the child in his or her household already provides maintenance by that. This means, that in the case of students, it also depends on where the child lives. In the case of children studying away from home, only partial care by one parent may be sufficient under certain circumstances, if it is regularly provided at certain remaining times, such as weekends. The other parent is obliged to pay maintenance. If, however, the child lives entirely in self-care, i.e. lives in a different city and looks after himself/herself completely, both parents must pay money maintenance in proportion to their respective ability to pay.
Open marriage?
From time to time, people want to agree sexual freedom in a marriage contract, but what is the legal situation?
