Glossary · Swiss and international law

Child maintenance (CC art. 276)

Maintenance amount set to cover the direct and indirect costs of the child — appropriate upkeep matching the family's living standard.

Reference: CC art. 276-289

Maintenance comprises:

  • the child’s direct needs (housing, food, clothing, school, leisure, insurance);
  • indirect needs (housing share, childcare, unreimbursed medical expenses);
  • since the maintenance-law reform of 1 January 2017, a care contribution (Betreuungsunterhalt, art. 285 al. 2 CC) compensating the loss of earning capacity of the parent providing daily care.

The method of ATF 144 III 481 (Federal Tribunal, 2018) imposes a two-step calculation: establishing the extended minimum vital, then distributing the surplus according to a proportional key.

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