Maintenance Tax Credit (Unterhaltsabsetzbetrag)

Tax credit for parents paying child support, scale per child, counted monthly.

Definition

The Maintenance Tax Credit under § 33 Abs 4 Z 3 EStG applies to the parent who pays court-titled child support for a non-cohabiting child. Prerequisite: support is actually paid. Amounts are staffel by the child's position in birth order and counted monthly. Functions as a tax credit, subtracted directly from the tariff result (€1-for-€1).

Per-child staffel & year

Order
2025
2026
2027
1st child
€ 35
€ 38
2nd child
€ 52
€ 56
each further child
€ 69
€ 75

Monthly amounts (yearly = × 12), applying per month in which maintenance was paid. Current year read live, indexed alongside the bracket thresholds; future years not yet set (»—«).

Example: 3 children, year-round support

Father pays support year-round for three non-cohabiting children. Monthly amounts: € 38 (1st) + € 56 (2nd) + € 75 (3rd) = € 169/month = € 2.028/yr. Subtracted directly from the calculated tariff tax.

See also

Try it in the gross-to-net calculator

Sources: § 33 Abs 4 Z 3 EStG 1988 (RIS), BMF Steuerabsetzbeträge.