Good for the offspring?

Child maintenance: more contact, less money

Wanting to see your child more often out of love is understandable - but not for the sake of money. The offspring are the ones who suffer from the parents' back and forth.(Bild: lev dolgachov)

One parent lives with the child, the other pays for it: roughly speaking, this is how it usually works with separated parents. However, the parent who is not the main carer of the child can also reduce the financial demands by having more contact with the child. How does this work and is it a good thing? We have asked!

How many days a year do you look after your child? There is a certain limit for parents who are liable to pay maintenance: if the child is looked after for up to around 80 days a year, the "normal" maintenance must generally be paid - i.e. the maintenance calculated using the percentage method.