Child Support in France: How Is It Calculated?

Child support in France is each parent’s contribution to the child’s upkeep and education, in proportion to their resources. Without agreement, the family court judge sets the amount based on income, expenses, the child’s needs and the residence arrangement. It does not stop automatically at 18 and is usually paid through the family benefits office.

Who pays child support in France?

French law requires each parent to contribute to the upkeep and education of their children. The contribution is proportionate to each parent’s resources and to the child’s needs (Article 371-2 of the Civil Code).

After a separation, this duty takes the form of a payment from one parent to the other (Article 373-2-2 of the Civil Code). In practice, the parent the child does not mainly live with pays it. Marriage makes no difference: married, civil partners and unmarried parents are bound in the same way.

• • • Mandatory: one parent cannot waive it on behalf of the child.
    • Separate from parental authority: a parent who loses parental authority still owes support.
    • Long-lasting: it does not end automatically when the child turns 18.

How does the French judge set the amount?

Parents can agree on the amount in an approved agreement or a divorce agreement. Without agreement, the family court judge (juge aux affaires familiales) decides. The judge looks at the family’s actual situation.

• • • Both parents’ income: salaries, investment income, benefits.
    • Their expenses: housing, loans, other dependent children.
    • The child’s needs: age, schooling, health, activities, previous standard of living.
    • The residence arrangement: standard or reduced contact, or shared residence.

The French Ministry of Justice publishes an indicative reference table. Judges use it as a guide, but it does not bind them. Shared residence does not rule out child support either, when the parents’ incomes differ widely.

Many expatriate parents expect a fixed formula, as in some English-speaking countries. French practice relies more on the judge’s assessment of each family. Extra costs, such as school trips or medical fees not covered by insurance, are often shared separately. The ruling or agreement should say how.

Child support is decided together with child custody after separation: where the child lives shapes who pays.

You are separating and do not know what amount to ask for or offer. A first meeting assesses your situation before any negotiation or court application. Consultation €250 incl. VAT, in English, reply within 48 hours. Book a consultation

How is child support paid in France?

France now uses financial intermediation by default. The family benefits office (CAF) collects the support from the paying parent and passes it on to the other parent (Article 373-2-2, II, of the Civil Code). It applies as soon as the amount is set in an enforceable ruling or agreement.

• • • Opt-out by agreement: both parents refuse intermediation in the ruling or agreement.
    • Opt-out by the judge: in a decision with specific reasons.
    • Cases of violence: the parents’ refusal is set aside after a complaint or conviction for threats or violence.

Read our article on financial intermediation for child support for how it works in practice.

When can child support be revised?

The amount is not set in stone. The judge can change a ruling or agreement about the children at any time, at a parent’s request (Article 373-2-13 of the Civil Code). A new circumstance is required. Moving to another country is a common trigger for expatriate families, as living costs and income change at the same time.

• • • Change in income: job loss, pay rise, retirement, a move abroad.
    • Change in the child’s needs: secondary school, university, medical costs.
    • New family responsibilities: another child born to the paying parent.

The amount is also indexed each year, based on the index stated in the ruling. Our article on revising child or spousal support explains the grounds courts accept.

What can you do if child support is unpaid?

When intermediation is in place, the CAF itself pursues the paying parent. Otherwise, the receiving parent has fast enforcement tools. Acting quickly matters, because arrears build up month after month and the paying parent’s situation can change.

• • • Direct payment: the paying parent’s employer or bank pays the support instead. See our article on direct payment.
    • Wage attachment: carried out through a judicial officer.
    • Family support allowance: the CAF advances a sum and then pursues the debtor.

Failing to pay for more than two months is the criminal offence of family abandonment. It carries two years’ imprisonment and a €15,000 fine (Article 227-3 of the Criminal Code). When the paying parent lives abroad, recovery relies on international rules. Which court and which law apply must then be checked case by case.

Until what age is child support paid?

French law sets no age limit. Support remains due while the child cannot meet their own needs, for example during studies. The parent who mainly supports an adult child is entitled to claim it (Article 373-2-5 of the Civil Code). The judge sometimes orders payment directly to the adult child.

Need legal advice? Your child support is unpaid, or your situation has changed since the ruling. Maître Claire Menuet, family lawyer in Paris 11th, advises English-speaking parents on setting, revising and recovering child support. Book a consultation, reply within 48 hours.

Sources

• French Civil Code, Articles 371-2, 373-2-2, 373-2-5 and 373-2-13
• French Criminal Code, Article 227-3