Düsseldorf Table 2026
The complete German child maintenance table with 15 income groups, 4 age brackets, amounts to pay after child benefit, control amounts, self-support reserve – source: Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf
As of September 2026Basis: Düsseldorf Table 2026 (Higher Regional Court Düsseldorf)Calculated in your browser – nothing is stored
Net income of the parent who pays maintenance – after work-related expenses plus debts · tap or drag
The child is aged .
Amount to pay per month
Income group 4 · 115%
€512.50
€512.50Düsseldorf Table 2026, income group 4, child aged 6–11: the need is €642. After deducting €129.50 of child benefit, €512.50 remain to be paid.
RZ-26 · headon.pro
Your row in the Düsseldorf Table 2026
Income group 4 · adjusted net income 2,901 – 3,300 euros · 115% of the minimum maintenance
Large: the amount to pay after the child benefit share. Highlighted: the age of your child. Tap to choose another.
| Group | Net income | Age 0–5 | Age 6–11 | Age 12–17 | Age 18+ | Per cent | Control amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | up to 2,100 | 486 | 558 | 653 | 698 | 100 | 1,200 / 1,450 |
| 2 | 2,101 – 2,500 | 511 | 586 | 686 | 733 | 105 | 1,750 |
| 3 | 2,501 – 2,900 | 535 | 614 | 719 | 768 | 110 | 1,850 |
| 4 | 2,901 – 3,300 | 559 | 642 | 751 | 803 | 115 | 1,950 |
| 5 | 3,301 – 3,700 | 584 | 670 | 784 | 838 | 120 | 2,050 |
| 6 | 3,701 – 4,100 | 623 | 715 | 836 | 894 | 128 | 2,150 |
| 7 | 4,101 – 4,500 | 661 | 759 | 889 | 950 | 136 | 2,250 |
| 8 | 4,501 – 4,900 | 700 | 804 | 941 | 1,006 | 144 | 2,350 |
| 9 | 4,901 – 5,300 | 739 | 849 | 993 | 1,061 | 152 | 2,450 |
| 10 | 5,301 – 5,700 | 778 | 893 | 1,045 | 1,117 | 160 | 2,550 |
| 11 | 5,701 – 6,400 | 817 | 938 | 1,098 | 1,173 | 168 | 2,850 |
| 12 | 6,401 – 7,200 | 856 | 983 | 1,150 | 1,229 | 176 | 3,250 |
| 13 | 7,201 – 8,200 | 895 | 1,027 | 1,202 | 1,285 | 184 | 3,750 |
| 14 | 8,201 – 9,700 | 934 | 1,072 | 1,254 | 1,341 | 192 | 4,350 |
| 15 | 9,701 – 11,200 | 972 | 1,116 | 1,306 | 1,396 | 200 | 5,050 |
On a phone only your column is shown. All columns: on a wider screen or in the CSV file.
| Group | Net income | Age 0–5 | Age 6–11 | Age 12–17 | Age 18+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | up to 2,100 | 356.50 | 428.50 | 523.50 | 439.00 |
| 2 | 2,101 – 2,500 | 381.50 | 456.50 | 556.50 | 474.00 |
| 3 | 2,501 – 2,900 | 405.50 | 484.50 | 589.50 | 509.00 |
| 4 | 2,901 – 3,300 | 429.50 | 512.50 | 621.50 | 544.00 |
| 5 | 3,301 – 3,700 | 454.50 | 540.50 | 654.50 | 579.00 |
| 6 | 3,701 – 4,100 | 493.50 | 585.50 | 706.50 | 635.00 |
| 7 | 4,101 – 4,500 | 531.50 | 629.50 | 759.50 | 691.00 |
| 8 | 4,501 – 4,900 | 570.50 | 674.50 | 811.50 | 747.00 |
| 9 | 4,901 – 5,300 | 609.50 | 719.50 | 863.50 | 802.00 |
| 10 | 5,301 – 5,700 | 648.50 | 763.50 | 915.50 | 858.00 |
| 11 | 5,701 – 6,400 | 687.50 | 808.50 | 968.50 | 914.00 |
| 12 | 6,401 – 7,200 | 726.50 | 853.50 | 1,020.50 | 970.00 |
| 13 | 7,201 – 8,200 | 765.50 | 897.50 | 1,072.50 | 1,026.00 |
| 14 | 8,201 – 9,700 | 804.50 | 942.50 | 1,124.50 | 1,082.00 |
| 15 | 9,701 – 11,200 | 842.50 | 986.50 | 1,176.50 | 1,137.00 |
On a phone only your column is shown. All columns: on a wider screen or in the CSV file.
Amounts in euros per month; the table assumes two persons entitled to maintenance. The need is not the amount to pay: child benefit of €259 per child is deducted – half of it for minors (€129.50), all of it for adult children. Group 1 shows the necessary self-support reserve (not employed / employed) instead of a control amount. Tapping a cell adopts its income with its age band.
What you can do
From €3,301 net: income group 5+€28.00
The monthly amount to pay would be this much higher.
With only one child: income group 5€540.50
The table assumes two persons entitled to maintenance. For a single child the child maintenance calculator applies a different group, giving €540.50 instead of €512.50. Continue in the child maintenance calculator with €3,000 at this age
How this was calculated
- Need according to the tableIncome group 4, 115% of the minimum maintenance
- €642.00
- Child benefit sharehalf of €259 for minors
- − €129.50
- Amount to pay
- €512.50
- Control amountif the paying parent keeps less, a lower group may apply
- €1,950
Read from the table, not fully calculated
The table assumes two persons entitled to maintenance. With more or fewer, a lower or higher group may apply; the control amount, the self-support reserve as well as shortfall cases are not checked here. The child maintenance calculator covers all of that.
A guideline, not a law
The Düsseldorf Table does not have the force of law. It is a guideline of the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf, coordinated with the other higher regional courts.
Read from the table, not fully calculated. The Düsseldorf Table is a guideline, not a law.
Self-support reserve 2026 towards children
| Necessary reserve, not employed (minors, adult pupils up to 21 living with their parents) | €1,200 |
|---|---|
| Necessary reserve, employed (minors, adult pupils up to 21 living with their parents) | €1,450 |
| Appropriate reserve (other adult children), at least | €1,750 |
Source: Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf, Düsseldorfer Tabelle as of Jan 1, 2026 · checked against the official PDF on Oct 4, 2026 · The table is not law; it is a guideline of the higher regional courts.
Düsseldorf Table 2026: how to read it
The Düsseldorf Table (Düsseldorfer Tabelle) states the monthly maintenance need of a child – graded by the adjusted net income of the parent who pays (15 income groups from €2,100 to €11,200) as well as by the age of the child (four age brackets). The first income group holds the minimum maintenance: €486 for children up to 5, €558 from 6 to 11, €653 from 12 to 17. The per cent column shows how far the need of each group lies above that.
The table assumes two persons entitled to maintenance. With more or fewer, moving to a lower or higher income group may be appropriate. This page shows the table together with a single-cell lookup; the full calculation with several children, group changes, control amount, self-support reserve, shortfall cases is done by the child maintenance calculator.
What this page shows
- Need by group, by age
- All 15 income groups with four age brackets, percentage, control amount
- Amounts to pay
- What actually has to be paid – after deducting half or all of the child benefit
- Self-support reserve
- What the paying parent must at least keep
- Date, source
- Checked against the official PDF of the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf
From need to amount to pay: child benefit
The table amount is the need of the child, not the amount transferred. Child benefit (Kindergeld) is credited against the need under Section 1612b of the German Civil Code (BGB): half of it for minors, all of it for adult children. In 2026 child benefit is €259 per child per month – so €129.50 is deducted for minors, €259 for adult children.
Example: with an adjusted net income of €3,500, income group 5 applies. For a child aged 6 to 11 the table states a need of €670; after deducting half the child benefit, €540.50 remain to be paid. For an adult child in the same group the need is €838, the amount to pay €579.00. The table assumes two persons entitled to maintenance: if maintenance is owed for this one child only, the child maintenance calculator uses income group 6, giving €585.50.
What the amounts include – what they do not
- 1Adult children living with their parentsFor adult children living with their parents, or with one parent, the fourth age bracket of the table applies.
- 2Health insurance, long-term care insuranceContributions to health insurance, long-term care insurance, tuition fees are not included in the amounts.
- 3Adjusted net incomeWhat counts is not the net pay on the payslip but the income adjusted under maintenance law.
Control amount, self-support reserve
The control amount (Bedarfskontrollbetrag) is meant to keep the split of income between the paying parent on one side, the children on the other, balanced. If the parent is left with less than the control amount of their group after paying maintenance, the table amount of the next lower group whose control amount is still met may be used. It is not the same as the self-support reserve.
The self-support reserve (Selbstbehalt) is the lower limit: towards unmarried minors, likewise towards unmarried adult children up to 21 who live in their parents' household while in general schooling, the necessary reserve is €1,200 for parents who are not employed, €1,450 for employed parents. Towards other adult children the appropriate reserve is at least €1,750 per month.
The Düsseldorf Table does not have the force of law. It is a guideline issued by the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf, based on coordination talks between all higher regional courts with the maintenance commission of the German Family Court Association. This page does not replace legal advice.
Frequently asked questions about the Düsseldorf Table
Amount to pay, child benefit, self-support reserve, legal status
What is the minimum child maintenance in Germany in 2026?
In the first income group (adjusted net income up to €2,100) the need is €486 for children up to 5, €558 from 6 to 11, €653 from 12 to 17, €698 for adult children. After deducting the child benefit share, the amounts to pay are €356.50, €428.50, €523.50, €439.00.
What is the difference between the table amount, the amount to pay?
The table amount is the need of the child. The amount to pay is what actually has to be paid: need minus the child benefit share. For minors half the child benefit is deducted (€129.50), for adult children all of it (€259).
Which income group applies to me?
What counts is the adjusted net income of the parent who pays. The table has 15 groups, from "up to €2,100" to €9,701–€11,200. It assumes two persons entitled to maintenance; with more or fewer, a lower or higher group may be appropriate.
How high is the self-support reserve in 2026?
Towards minors, likewise adult pupils up to 21 living with their parents, €1,450 for employed parents, €1,200 for parents who are not employed. Towards the other adult children, at least €1,750 per month.
Is the Düsseldorf Table a law?
No. The table does not have the force of law; it is a guideline. Courts use it for orientation; in an individual case maintenance can differ.
How do I calculate maintenance for several children?
For each child the amount of its age bracket is read from the table. With more than two persons entitled to maintenance, moving down a group comes into question; the control amount plus the self-support reserve have to be checked too. The child maintenance calculator works that through for up to five children.