[12. 10. 2016] On the occasion of the government’s decision to raise child tax allowance, child benefit and child benefit supplement, the AGF calls not to forget the announced reform of advance maintenance payment for children. A draft law has to be released quickly and must not be dropped because of disagreements on its financing between Bund and Länder.
Advance maintenance Payment for children helps a lot to reduce poverty, as does the child benefit supplement. However, the announced minimal raise of child benefit ignores the needs of families completely.
The family ministry planned the removal of the maximum length of the advance maintenance payment as well as of the maximum age, which is set at 72 months respective 12 years by now. Instead, the payment shall be continuously guaranteed until the child reaches the age of 18. This reform was announced several times, but did finally not find its way into the recent governments decisions. Moreover, the subject was passed on to the ongoing dialogue of Bund and Länder about financing matters.
The decided raise of the child benefit supplement is seen positively by the family organisations, but nevertheless, this measure would need a broader reform.
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