Getting child support changed in France: accepted grounds, procedure, evidence
Support that has been set is not carved in stone, but it does not move by itself either.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy
A review of child support (“révision de la pension alimentaire”) changes its amount, or the way it is paid, to reflect a change of circumstances. It can be requested by the paying parent or the receiving parent, on one condition: a new fact since the last decision or agreement. The grounds service-public.fr accepts are changes in the child’s needs, a rise in the other parent’s resources, a fall in your own resources and a change of custody arrangement. If the parents agree, a new court-approved parenting agreement is enough; otherwise you apply to the family court judge (juge aux affaires familiales, JAF), with no lawyer required. Example: a parent who earned €2,400 and now earns €1,700 would go, under the table, from €236 to €141 a month for one child with standard visiting. Expat parents whose job or country changes are often in exactly this situation. The calculator compares the two situations.
What the table gives after the change
Indicative support today
€141
| Indicative support at the judgment | €236 |
| Difference per month | -€95 |
| Change | -40.0 % |
Accepted grounds for a review
| New fact | Who raises it | Expected effect |
|---|---|---|
| Greater needs of the child (studies, health, disability) | receiving parent | increase |
| Lower needs of the child | paying parent | decrease |
| Higher resources of the other parent | receiving parent | increase |
| Lower resources of your own (unemployment, illness) | paying parent | decrease, or even exemption |
| Change of custody arrangement | either parent | according to the new table column |
You can also ask for direct payment of certain costs to be set or changed, for example splitting school fees half and half. Conversely, a parent with no resources at all can exceptionally be exempted from paying if the judge finds them insolvent.
The procedure, step by step
- Calculate. Compare what the table gives now with the situation at the time of the decision: a few euros’ difference does not justify proceedings, a gap of 20 or 30% does.
- Try to agree. A new parenting agreement approved by the judge avoids a hearing; family mediation can help get there.
- Apply to the judge. Without agreement, fill in the application to the family court judge and send it to the court for the children’s place of residence, with evidence.
- Prove it. Payslips, France Travail statements, invoices, benefit statements, rent receipts, witness statements: anything that shows the change.
- Keep paying the old amount until the decision: stopping creates a debt and can amount to family abandonment.
What the table gives before and after
| Income at the judgment | Income now | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €3,000 | €2,200 | €317 | €209 | -34 % |
| €2,400 | €1,700 | €236 | €141 | -40 % |
| €1,800 | €2,600 | €155 | €263 | 70 % |
| €2,000 | €3,500 | €182 | €384 | 111 % |
These figures are benchmarks: the judge also weighs each parent’s costs and the child’s needs on the date of the new decision. A change of visiting pattern can be worked out on visiting rights and child support, and a drop in income through unemployment on an unemployed parent.
Mistakes that sink an application
The first is lack of evidence: saying your income has fallen is not enough, you need payslips, a statement, a tax notice. The second is asking for a review because of a change that was already known when the previous decision was made: it is not new. The third is stopping payment while waiting for the judge. Finally, a request to reduce support made just after a voluntary resignation rarely convinces: the judge looks at whether the drop in income was suffered or chosen.
When the parents agree
When both parents agree on a new amount, there is no need for a court case. They draft a parenting agreement replacing the previous arrangements and ask the judge to approve it, usually without a hearing. For unmarried parents, the CAF can also make their agreement enforceable. Without approval or a title, the agreement remains fragile: if a dispute arises later, the old decision applies. The steps are on parenting agreement.