Skip to content
Emergency

Higher seizure-free amount through maintenance obligations

Anyone who pays maintenance may keep more in a garnishment: for each person entitled to maintenance the seizure-free amount increases. This applies to wage garnishment via the garnishment table and to the P-account via the certificate. It is important to state and prove the maintenance obligations correctly.

Reach your next steps and the matching ready-made texts in just a few minutes, free of charge:

Create a letter to the creditor/court →

Your chances of getting your money back

For each person to whom you legally provide maintenance, the seizure-free amount increases (§ 850c ZPO). With wage garnishment this works via the garnishment table, with the P-account via the increased exemption.
What matters is that you actually provide maintenance or are obliged to do so. Prove the maintenance obligations (e.g. birth certificates, maintenance titles) so that they are taken into account.

What you should do now

  1. 1

    1. Record maintenance obligations

    List whom you provide maintenance to (children, spouse), this increases the exemption.

  2. 2

    2. Gather proof

    Have birth certificates, maintenance titles or proof of maintenance ready.

  3. 3

    3. State with wage garnishment

    Tell the employer about the maintenance obligations so that it takes the higher exemption from the table into account.

  4. 4

    4. Certify with the P-account

    Have a P-account certificate issued that shows the maintenance obligations, and submit it to the bank.

How to spot the scam

  • Maintenance obligations are not taken into account in the garnishment.
  • You do not state children or the spouse as entitled to maintenance.
  • The bank does not take the increased exemption into account for lack of a certificate.

Frequently asked questions

Do children raise the seizure-free amount?

Yes. For each person to whom you legally provide maintenance, such as children or the spouse, the seizure-free amount increases (§ 850c ZPO). This way you keep more of your income in a garnishment.

How do I assert the maintenance obligations?

With wage garnishment you tell the employer, who takes the higher exemption from the garnishment table into account. With the P-account you prove them via a P-account certificate that you present to the bank.

What do I have to prove?

That you actually provide maintenance or are obliged to do so, such as through birth certificates, a maintenance title or proof of payment. With this proof the maintenance obligations are taken into account for the exemption.

Take action now

We put together the ready-made texts and the right places to contact for you.

Create a letter to the creditor/courtCheck a suspicious message
More help: Emergency by phone · Act together · Right to a lawyer · All guides

General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.