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Child support when the child does not live with you

Child support is money that is paid by the parent with whom the child does not live to the parent with whom the child lives. The child support is intended to be used for the child's housing, food and leisure interests.

How much do I have to pay?

You must yourselves agree on the amount. You either reach an oral agreement or a written agreement. Use the manual calculator for child support to get an idea of what is reasonable to pay.

Calculate maintenance allowance (in Swedish)

Before you begin calculating:

  • Have last year's tax return for you and the other parent (if possible) on hand. You will need a lot of information to perform the calculation.
  • Make a list of your day-to-day expenses. Each year, the Swedish Consumer Agency compiles figures into a brochure in Swedish called “Koll på pengarna” [Keeping tabs on your money]. There, you will find compilations of expenses associated with children of various ages.
  • If you have several children, calculate the child support for one child at a time. It is not possible to calculate for multiple children simultaneously. So, make a note of the amount after each calculation and then add them together.
  • If possible, it is a good idea to do the calculation together with the other parent.
  • Do not interrupt the calculation and leave the computer for a long period of time. Otherwise, you may have to start over.

If you enter into an agreement

If you want to enter into an agreement between the two of you, you can use the agreement template: 

Agreement on child support for childrenpdf öppnas i nytt fönster

The agreement does not need to be sent to Försäkringskassan.

The child support is adjusted every year

The child support is adjusted every year to changes in the value of money. This means that the child support is most often increased by a few per cent on 1 February every year.

When should I pay child support?

You must pay in advance each month. So, the support for December must be paid no later than 30 November.

You must pay child support starting from the month that you separate and begin living apart.

If you do not agree

If you do not agree, the district court can determine the amount. Contact a legal representative to find out what you should do.

“Now the child support covers Penny's needs”

When Anna and Steven separated, they couldn't agree about much of anything.

Read Anna's story


Do you need help?

You can book a personal web meeting with an administrator for help calculating child support.

Boka tid för webbmöte

If you enter into an agreement

You either reach an oral agreement or a written agreement on child support. If you want to have a written agreement between the two of you, you can use the agreement template. The agreement is an arrangement between the two parents and does not need to be submitted to Försäkringskassan.

5251 Agreement on child support for a child (41 kB)PDF opens in a new window

5252 Agreement on child support for a child age 18 or older (41 kB)PDF opens in a new window

 

The child support is adjusted every year to changes in the value of money. This means that the child support is usually increased by a few per cent beginning 1 February every year. For 2018, child support is increased by one per cent.

Other rules apply to child support set abroad or in a foreign currency. Call the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524 to find out what applies to you in this type of situation.

 

When should I pay child support?

Child support must be paid in advance every month. So, the support for December must be paid no later than 30 November.

Child support must be paid from the time you stopped living together.

What do we do if we cannot reach an agreement?

If you have a hard time agreeing on how to resolve issues related to access (visitation), custody, living arrangements and child support, you can turn to your municipality to get help through a cooperation discussion.

The cooperation discussion is an opportunity for you to find common solutions for the child's best interest without having to go to court. The cooperation discussion is free of charge.

If you have had cooperation discussions and received help from Försäkringskassan but you still cannot agree on issues relating to the child, you can take the matter to the district court. Contact a legal representative to find out what you should do.

Frequently asked questions

When the child has turned 18, the allowance shall be paid directly to the child if the child attends school full time at the compulsory school level, upper-secondary level or the equivalent. The child is only entitled to child support up to and including the date they turn 21.

If the child has turned 18 and has finished school, they are no longer entitled to child support.

The “Calculate child support” (Beräkna underhållsbidrag) tool can help you by providing prefilled amounts for what a child costs if you enter the age and gender of the child. The amounts are based on the Swedish Consumer Agency's calculations of the expenses of raising a child. If you do not want to enter the gender and age, you can find the amounts yourself on the Swedish Consumer Agency's website.

Hallå konsument (hallakonsument.se) öppnas i nytt fönster

You can contact the district court. Contact a legal representative to find out what you should do.

The other parent can apply for maintenance support
If you do not pay child support for your child because you cannot reach an agreement, the other parent can apply for maintenance support from Försäkringskassan. The maintenance support is max. SEK 1,573 a month up to the month the child turns age 15, and SEK 1,723 after this. You are then obliged to pay back the maintenance support to Försäkringskassan.

If you pay back the maintenance support to Försäkringskassan on time and in the right amount for at least six consecutive months, we may decide not to pay out any maintenance support. You will then instead be asked to make another attempt to agree on child support.

If there are special reasons why you and the other parent cannot reach an agreement, Försäkringskassan may decide to continue paying maintenance support to the child.

 

Yes, you are obliged to pay child support regardless of whether you live in the same country as your child or not. f you live in a country with which Sweden has a cooperation agreement, Försäkringskassan can provide assistance in setting and collecting child support from a child support debtor residing in Sweden. 

If Försäkringskassan receives an application for the setting and/or collection of child support from a country with which we have a cooperation agreement, then we will contact you.

We can help you find out whether you can apply to modify your child support. In some countries, it may cost money to modify the child support. In such cases, you can apply for legal aid in that country. 

Call the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524 to learn more or to request assistance in applying for a modification.

Yes, if the child sleeps at your home at least five nights in a row. You can also make a deduction if the child sleeps at your home at least six nights in one calendar month. Those nights do not have to be consecutive.

For each day, you can deduct 1/40 of the amount you pay per month. For example, if you pay SEK 1,300 per month in child support, you pay SEK 32 less for each day the child lives with you.

If the child is living with you temporarily during recurring periods
If the child is living with you temporarily during recurring periods, you and the other parent can create a net agreement. This means that you can deduct the access from what is paid in child support each month.

Example:
Child support is set to SEK 2,200 per month. But, since you have the child every other weekend and half of July each year (56 days in total), you can make a deduction from the total. Calculate the deduction as follows:

The value for one day (24 hours) of access is 1/40 x SEK 2,200 (child support) = SEK 55 per day.

The value for the full year is then 56 days x SEK 55 = SEK 3,080 per year.

The value per month is then SEK 3,080 divided by 12 = SEK 256 per month.

Your child support payment after the deduction is SEK 2,200 - SEK 256 = SEK 1,944.

Use the template to write a net agreement.

5250 (Net agreement)PDF opens in a new window

You will work together to agree on the amount and how it should be paid. It can be paid through bank transfer, cash or using the Swish app. Remember to write a receipt for both of you if payment is made in cash.

If you cannot reach an agreement, the municipality offers cooperation discussions for custody, access, and residence. There, you receive help in finding common solutions for the child's best interest without having to go to court. If you do not have contact with each other and cannot therefore agree on the child support, you can turn to the district court. Contact a legal representative to find out what you should do.

Yes, you can also calculate and receive a decision on child support in connection with court proceedings relating to divorce, custody, residence or access (visitation).

But be aware that there may be costs associated with addressing the issue of child support as part of the proceedings. It is best if you can set child support in an agreement instead of through legal proceedings. Talk to your legal representative about this.

If your child lives in Sweden and is receiving maintenance support from Försäkringskassan, you must pay child support to Försäkringskassan instead of the child’s other parent.

Call the Customer Centre at 0771 524 524 so we can tell you what applies in your situation.