Do you always pay maintenance with co-parenting?
Not automatically, but usually yes, even with equal incomes. With a roughly 50/50 split the highest care discount applies: 35%. That is less than half, because the parent with whom the children are registered also bears the costs that cannot be split per day of care, such as clothing and school. With two incomes of € 4,200 gross a month and one child, our calculation core therefore arrives at roughly € 130 a month. If the incomes differ — which is usually the case — the higher-earning parent typically pays more. Parents can agree otherwise in their parenting plan, for example with a joint children's account.
This may seem illogical: both parents care equally, right? Yes, but the child's needs are determined by the former family income. If that was high, the child's costs are higher too. Those costs are divided by financial capacity — not by care time.
How does the calculation work with co-parenting?
The steps are the same as for regular child maintenance. The Rapport Alimentatienormen makes no distinction between an extensive care arrangement and co-parenting: the contributing parent receives the 35% care discount for the days the child is with him or her.
- Need — determined via the needs table based on net family income and the number of children.
- Capacity per parent — NBI minus the housing budget and the basic living allowance (Dutch: draagkrachtloos inkomen), for each parent separately.
- Split by capacity — each parent's share of the need is calculated proportionally.
- 35% care discount — on the share of the contributing parent, for the costs he or she bears directly.
- Contribution — that parent's share minus the care discount, capped by his or her capacity.
Example calculation co-parenting
Example: 1 child (aged 8); parent A has a gross income of € 5,000 a month, parent B of € 3,200 a month; the child is with each parent roughly half the time (182 days a year). Calculated with the Alimentatie Inzicht engine.
| Net disposable income of the paying parent | € 3,674 / month |
| Net disposable income of the other parent | € 2,731 / month |
| Net disposable family income | € 6,405 / month |
| Parents' own share of the costs of the children | € 858 / month |
| Capacity of the paying parent | € 845 / month |
| Capacity of the other parent | € 383 / month |
| The paying parent's share of that | € 590 / month |
| Care discount (35%, co-parenting) | – € 300 / month |
| Parent A pays parent B | ± € 290 / month |
Illustrative. Actual outcome depends on exact incomes, housing costs, child-related budget and other children.
Child-related budget with co-parenting
The child-related budget (including the single-parent supplement) is as a rule awarded to the parent with whom the child is registered in the Dutch Personal Records Database (BRP) and who receives the child benefit. It does not reduce the child's needs; it increases that parent's capacity — and therefore their share of the costs (Dutch Supreme Court, 9 October 2015, ECLI:NL:HR:2015:3011).
Tip: with co-parenting, choose deliberately which parent the child is registered with. That determines who receives the child-related budget and can also affect the healthcare benefit and the housing benefit.
Co-parenting and spousal maintenance
Co-parenting says nothing about spousal maintenance. If one parent has insufficient income to provide for themselves, spousal maintenance may also be owed alongside child maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
Do you always pay maintenance with co-parenting?
Not automatically. Even with equal incomes and a 50/50 split a contribution usually remains, because the care discount (35%) is less than half of the costs. If the incomes differ, the higher earner typically pays more.
How is the care discount calculated with co-parenting?
With co-parenting the care discount is 35%, the same bracket as for 3 or more days a week; the Rapport Alimentatienormen has no separate calculation. The discount is deducted from the contributing parent's share; what remains is the contribution to the other parent.
Does the child-related budget count differently with co-parenting?
The child-related budget (kindgebonden budget) is as a rule awarded to the parent with whom the child is registered and who receives the child benefit. It is not deducted from the child's needs; it counts towards that parent's income, and therefore towards their share of the costs — Dutch Supreme Court, 9 October 2015, ECLI:NL:HR:2015:3011.
Can I calculate co-parenting maintenance myself?
Yes. Alimentatie Inzicht fully supports co-parenting calculations, with the 35% care discount for the contributing parent. After entering the incomes, housing costs and care arrangement, the tool automatically works out the indicative maintenance.