Receiving a financial contribution from the other parent to contribute to child-related expenses

The amount of the “contribution à l’entretien et à l’éducation de l’enfant” largely depends on the financial situation of each parent. It is set according to:

• your income and expenses 
• the other parent’s income and expenses
• your child’s needs.

The amount may be very different from what you would have received in your home country. To get an idea of how much you could receive, you can run a simulation. 

Payment of the “contribution à l’entretien et à l’éducation de l’enfant” will normally continue until the children have acquired financial independence, even after they reached the legal adult age (usually at 18 in France) unless decided otherwise by the judge.

The amount can be reviewed at any time if the parents’ situation changes. In this case, you can make an application to the “Juge aux affaires familiales” via your lawyer.

The “pension alimentaire” can be paid in different forms: 

• In most cases, it is a sum of money that is paid every month.
• In some cases, it can take other forms, such as direct payment of costs incurred for your children.

In general, this financial contribution is paid from a date set by the “Juge aux affaires familiales” in the judgment which also sets the child custody arrangements known as “modalités d’exercice de l’autorité parentale”.

Since March 2022, payments of “pension alimentaire” fixed by a judge are now processed automatically by the national agency in charge of “pension alimentaire” called “l’Agence de recouvrement et d’intermédiation des pensions alimentaires (Aripa)”, unless both parents do not want this. The process is:

• The judge sends his decision directly to “Aripa”.
• Every month, the agency collects the amount from the parent who pays the maintenance allowance, called the "débiteur", then transfers it to the parent who receives the maintenance allowance, called the "créancier".

If your ex-partner does not pay you the maintenance allowance that has been set, there are solutions.

If the payment of the maintenance allowance is processed “Aripa”:

• in the event of non-payment and from the first month default, “Aripa” initiates recovery action with the “débiteur”;
• while waiting to recover the amount due, “Aripa” will pay you financial assistance called “allocation de soutien familial”.