Requesting an advance on and recovering maintenance payments

Maintenance is a financial contribution paid to any person whose subsistence is to be ensured, as provided for in the Civil Code.

As a rule, maintenance payments are set by a court decision.

Any person entitled to maintenance, the amount of which has been set by a court decision enforceable in Luxembourg, may apply for an advance on maintenance payments in order to receive any unpaid monthly instalments provided for in the judgment. However, for the application to be admissible, the maintenance creditor must be in financial difficulties and must have personally exhausted all legal options to obtain their entitlement.

The amount of maintenance set by the court decision is then paid and recovered on demand, under certain conditions, by the National Solidarity Fund (FNS). Any real estate belonging to the debtor and the creditor is subject to a mortgage registration in favour of the FNS for the purpose of guaranteeing restitution in the event of a financial recovery or in the event of inheritance. The amounts to be recovered from the debtor are subject to a 10 % recovery charge.

Who is concerned

Spouses or direct relatives—ascending or descendants, such as a father, mother, child or grandchild—(maintenance creditors) to whom a court decision has awarded maintenance to be paid by a third party (the maintenance debtor).

Prerequisites

For the payment application to be considered, the creditor must:

  • be legally domiciled in Luxembourg and have been continuously resident there for 5 years;
  • be entitled to maintenance payments set by a court decision enforceable in Luxembourg;
  • not have been able to obtain payment, either in full or in part, through private means of enforcement. The application is also accepted when ordinary means of enforcement appear doomed to failure, or when the debtor is a foreign resident;
  • be in financial difficulty.

How to proceed

Filing the application

Application forms can be downloaded below, under "Forms / Online services".

The application for an advance on and recovering maintenance payments includes information on the household and income of the applicant and the creditor.

The application must be completed, signed and sent by post to the FNS.

Supporting documents

For the application to be admissible, the applicant must send the following documents to the FNS:

  • a copy of the judgment setting the amount of the maintenance as well as the notification of the clerk of the court, or the document of service and the certificate of non-appeal;
  • a statement from the clerk of the court in the competent jurisdiction, or a bailiff, stating that private means of enforcement to recover the maintenance have been unsuccessful (e.g. after an attempt to enforce an attachment of earnings).

If such a statement cannot be produced, the creditor may produce any other documents proving that they have been unable to recover the debt by private means of enforcement.

The creditor should, to the extent possible, provide information about the debtor concerning:

  • their identity;
  • their address (or last known address);
  • their occupation;
  • the names and address of their employer;
  • the source of their income and the nature and extent of their assets.

If necessary, the FNS will carry out an inquiry among the interested parties.

Acceptance of the application

When the application is accepted, the President of the FNS notifies the maintenance creditor of that outcome by post, specifying the conditions and modes of payment.

The advance is first due on the 1st of the month following the date on which the application is deemed to be filed.

Upon written request, the FNS may also cover unpaid maintenance amounts covering the 6 months preceding the date on which the application is valid.

The monthly amounts may not exceed the limits which are due to the creditor's household, as set out in the legislation on the right to social inclusion income (REVIS).

In the interval between the acceptance of the application and the cessation of FNS payments, the creditor may not take any action against the debtor to recover the owed sums.

The FNS notifies the debtor by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt that it has upheld the application for payment of maintenance. This letter sets out the sums relating to the payment and recovery and notifies the debtor that the reimbursement of the advance of maintenance, as well as the payment of the recovery charge must be made directly to the FNS, in accordance with the payment terms specified therein.

Cessation of FNS payments

The FNS ceases to pay the maintenance on behalf of the debtor:

  • if the debtor dies;
  • if the maintenance creditor waives their entitlement to maintenance;
  • if the maintenance creditor moves abroad;
  • in the event that the children finish their studies.

Denial of the application and appeals

Should the President of the FNS decide to deny the advance on maintenance, or to cease maintenance payments, the creditor will be notified by registered letter. In such a case, the notification must specify:

  • the reasons for the denial;
  • the possible avenues of appeal against the decision;
  • the time period within which any appeal must be lodged;
  • the authority to whom the appeal should be addressed;
  • the method for presenting the appeal.

Appeals against decisions relating to the application for payment fall within the jurisdiction of the justice of the peace of the creditor's residence. Such appeals must be lodged within 40 days of the notification of the FNS President's decision.

Forms / Online services

Demande d'avance et recouvrement d'une pension alimentaire

Les informations qui vous concernent recueillies sur ce formulaire font l’objet d’un traitement par l’administration concernée afin de mener à bien votre demande.

Ces informations sont conservées pour la durée nécessaire par l’administration à la réalisation de la finalité du traitement

Les destinataires de vos données sont les administrations compétentes dans le cadre du traitement de votre demande. Veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée par votre demande pour connaître les destinataires des données figurant sur ce formulaire. Conformément au règlement (UE) 2016/679 relatif à la protection des personnes physiques à l'égard du traitement des données à caractère personnel et à la libre circulation de ces données, vous bénéficiez d’un droit d’accès, de rectification et le cas échéant d’effacement des informations vous concernant. Vous disposez également du droit de retirer votre consentement à tout moment.

En outre et excepté le cas où le traitement de vos données présente un caractère obligatoire, vous pouvez, pour des motifs légitimes, vous y opposer.

Si vous souhaitez exercer ces droits et/ou obtenir communication de vos informations, veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée suivant les coordonnées indiquées dans le formulaire. Vous avez également la possibilité d’introduire une réclamation auprès de la Commission nationale pour la protection des données ayant son siège à 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux.

En poursuivant votre démarche, vous acceptez que vos données personnelles soient traitées dans le cadre de votre demande.

Antrag auf Zahlung einer Alimentenrente

Ihre in diesem Formular erfassten personenbezogenen Informationen werden von der zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörde verarbeitet, um Ihren Antrag erfolgreich abzuschließen.

Diese Informationen werden von der Behörde für den zur Verarbeitung erforderlichen Zeitraum gespeichert.

Die Empfänger Ihrer Daten sind die im Rahmen Ihres Antrags zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörden. Um die Empfänger der in diesem Formular erfassten Daten zu erfahren, wenden Sie sich bitte an die für Ihren Antrag zuständige Behörde.

Gemäß der Verordnung (EU) 2016/679 zum Schutz natürlicher Personen bei der Verarbeitung personenbezogener Daten und zum freien Datenverkehr haben Sie das Recht auf Zugang, Berichtigung und gegebenenfalls Löschung Ihrer personenbezogenen Informationen. Sie haben zudem das Recht, Ihre erteilte Einwilligung jederzeit zu widerrufen.

Weiterhin können Sie, außer in Fällen, in denen die Verarbeitung Ihrer Daten verpflichtend ist, Widerspruch einlegen, wenn dieser rechtmäßig begründet ist.

Wenn Sie diese Rechte ausüben und/oder Einsicht in Ihre Informationen nehmen möchten, können Sie sich unter den im Formular angegebenen Kontaktdaten an die zuständige Verwaltungsbehörde wenden. Sie haben außerdem die Möglichkeit, bei der Nationalen Kommission für den Datenschutz Beschwerde einzulegen (Commission nationale pour la protection des données, 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux).

Wenn Sie Ihren Vorgang fortsetzen, akzeptieren Sie damit, dass Ihre personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen Ihres Antrags verarbeitet werden.

Who to contact

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