Unterhaltsvorschuss-Bescheid — advance child maintenance explained

What is an Unterhaltsvorschuss-Bescheid?

An Unterhaltsvorschuss-Bescheid is the official decision on Unterhaltsvorschuss (advance maintenance) under the Unterhaltsvorschussgesetz (UVG). The state pays you monthly on behalf of your child when the other parent (Unterhaltspflichtiger) fails to pay adequate, regular maintenance.

This is not Kindergeld (universal child benefit) and not Bürgergeld. You can receive Unterhaltsvorschuss and Kindergeld at the same time. The state may later recover payments from the other parent.

Who sends it — Unterhaltsvorschussstelle

Each federal state (Bundesland) runs an Unterhaltsvorschussstelle (advance maintenance office). The letterhead names this office — not the Familienkasse. Your case number and the Bescheid date start the Widerspruch clock: one month from receipt (§ 70 SGB X).

Applications are usually submitted to the office where the child lives. Some states use online portals; others require a form and birth certificate copies.

Who is eligible

• The child lives with you and is under 18
• You are the primary carer — typically a single parent or the parent who receives no regular Unterhalt
• The other parent does not pay maintenance, pays irregularly, or pays less than the statutory minimum (Mindestunterhalt)
• The child has a legal right to maintenance from the other parent (usually paternity is established or presumed)
• You cooperate in identifying the Unterhaltspflichtiger and provide requested documents

Unterhaltsvorschuss stops when the child turns 18, when the other parent pays sufficient maintenance directly, or when eligibility ends for other reasons stated in the Bescheid.

How much is paid

Amounts follow statutory Mindestunterhalt tables by the child's age band (typically three brackets: roughly ages 0–5, 6–11, and 12–17). The Bescheid shows the exact euro figure for each named child — rates adjust when law changes.

Payment is usually monthly in advance to your bank account. If approval is delayed, a Nachzahlung lump sum may cover past eligible months.

How to read your Bescheid

• Kind — name and date of birth of each child covered
• Monatlicher Vorschussbetrag — monthly advance per child
• Bewilligungszeitraum — from which month payments run
• Aktenzeichen — case reference for all correspondence
• Nachzahlung — back payment for earlier months
• Auflagen — duties such as reporting changes or naming the other parent

Types of decision

• Bewilligungsbescheid — Unterhaltsvorschuss approved
• Änderungsbescheid — amount changed (child's age band, new information)
• Ablehnungsbescheid — denied (maintenance already paid, no cooperation, not eligible)
• Erstattungsbescheid / Nachforderung — repay overpaid months
• Aufhebungsbescheid — payments stop from a set date

Your duty to identify the other parent

The state advances money but seeks reimbursement from the Unterhaltspflichtiger. You must provide honest information: full name, date of birth, last known address, employer if known. Refusing without good reason can lead to denial or repayment.

This does not require you to have contact with the other parent. The office pursues recovery — you are not the debt collector. If you fear violence, tell the office; protection rules may apply.

If the other parent starts paying

Report any maintenance received immediately. Unterhaltsvorschuss is a top-up when private payments are insufficient — not a double payment on top of full Unterhalt. If the other parent pays the full minimum or more, advance payments end or reduce from the date stated in law.

Court orders (Unterhaltstitel) or notarised agreements should be submitted so the office can offset correctly.

Unterhaltsvorschuss vs Kindergeld vs Bürgergeld

• Kindergeld — paid to almost all parents with children; unrelated to separation
• Unterhaltsvorschuss — only when the other parent does not pay child maintenance
• Bürgergeld — basic income support; Unterhaltsvorschuss counts as the child's income in Bürgergeld means tests for the child, not always for the parent — report both benefits correctly
• Wohngeld — housing benefit; child maintenance rules differ — see Wohngeld-Bescheid

Widerspruch — one-month deadline

File a written Widerspruch within one month if the amount, eligibility, or Nachforderung is wrong. Send it to the Unterhaltsvorschussstelle on the letter. Cite Aktenzeichen, Bescheid date, and your reasons. Attach proof: bank statements showing no maintenance, court orders, or age documents.

Free advice: Verbraucherzentrale, local Allgemeiner Sozialer Dienst (ASD/Jugendamt), or a lawyer specialising in family law. Beratungshilfe may fund legal help if income is low.

Reporting changes

Notify the office without delay if:

• You receive maintenance from the other parent (any amount)
• The child moves to the other parent's household
• The child's age moves to a new payment bracket
• You learn the other parent's address or employer
• You marry or your household situation changes eligibility

Late reporting can trigger Nachforderung — repayment of overpaid months with interest in serious cases.

What to do — step by step

Step 1: Read the Bescheid type — approval, denial, or Nachforderung.

Step 2: Check each child's name, amount, and Bewilligungszeitraum.

Step 3: Note the delivery date — calendar one month for Widerspruch.

Step 4: If denied, read the stated reason; gather missing documents and consider Widerspruch or new application.

Step 5: Set up bank details correctly; watch for first transfer.

Step 6: Report maintenance from the other parent immediately when it starts.

When to get help

• Ablehnung because paternity or parentage is disputed.
• Other parent lives abroad — special recovery rules.
• Nachforderung for thousands of euros — check offset calculations.
• Domestic violence — safe address disclosure questions.
• Shared custody (Wechselmodell) — eligibility can be complex.
• You also receive Bürgergeld or Wohngeld — avoid double-counting errors.

Key terms glossary

Still unsure what your letter means?

Upload a photo or PDF to Briefed. We explain approval vs denial, monthly amounts per child, Nachforderung risk, and your Widerspruch deadline — separate from Kindergeld letters.

• Plain summary per child and monthly Vorschuss amount
• Bewilligungszeitraum and Nachzahlung highlighted
• Denial or Nachforderung reason explained
• Draft Widerspruch or office reply in German

Last updated: June 2026