Background
The child support advance provides temporary financial assistance when a parent fails to fulfill maintenance obligations for shared children. The state pays the advance and later recovers the amount from the non‑paying parent.
Proposed change
Family Minister Prien announced an intention to lower the eligibility age from 18 to 15 years. The minister stated that current expenditures are excessively high and that the adjustment would ease the budget.
Reactions
The proposal has generated mixed responses. Family advocacy groups warn that older children who are not yet financially independent could be adversely affected. Financial analysts, however, note that the measure could provide noticeable savings for the public finances.
Next steps
Legislative approval is required before the change can be implemented. Until then, the existing rule—granting the advance to children up to 18 years—remains in force.