As of 2024, Germany has approximately 1.7 million single-parent families with minor children, which accounts for about one in five families, a number that has slightly increased due to the influx of Ukrainian refugees.

In the same year, the German government and states disbursed around 3.2 billion euros in child support advances to single parents, marking an increase of 551 million euros from the previous year.

This rise in payments is partly attributed to inflation adjustments aimed at ensuring a reliable minimum living standard for children, alongside a slight increase in the number of eligible children.

The federal government covers 40 percent of the costs for these child support advances, although recovering these amounts from non-paying parents is often unsuccessful.

In 2024, authorities managed to recover only 17 percent of the amounts due from non-paying parents, which equates to about 545 million euros, indicating a decline in recovery rates compared to previous years.

Most of the non-paying parents are fathers, and single parents can receive monthly support of 227 euros for children up to five years old, 299 euros for those up to eleven, and 394 euros for children up to seventeen.

To address the issue of non-payment, the coalition government plans to implement stricter penalties, including potential revocation of driving licenses for those who fail to pay support.

Additionally, there is a proposal to change how child benefits are calculated in maintenance advance assessments, moving from a full deduction to only half being considered.

Daniela Jaspers, chair of the Association of Single Mothers and Fathers, advocates for increasing the child support advance and suggests that child benefits should not fully count against these payments.

Overall, the financial burden of these advances is shared between the federal and state governments, with the federal government covering a significant portion of the costs.

Child support advances are a legal right for children, and the payment amount is determined by the financial situation of the non-paying parent.

The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs highlights that many of these support payments are classified as 'default payments' for children whose obligating parents earn too little to provide adequate support.