Benefits & support · maintenance allowance
Child maintenance allowance calculator 2026
Child maintenance allowance (elatustuki) is a Kela benefit that secures a child’s maintenance when the child does not receive adequate maintenance from both parents. This calculator shows how much Kela pays in elatustuki per month and per year, depending on the number of children and the situation.
The full allowance in 2026 is 197.71 euros a month per child. For example, for two children the full allowance is 395.42 euros a month. The allowance is tax-free income for the recipient. The result is indicative.
Allowance details
The allowance is paid separately for each child.
Choose whether the liable parent pays maintenance or not.
Allowance per month
€198/ kk
The total Kela pays. Tax-free income for the recipient.
| Full allowance / child | €197.71 |
| Kela pays / child | €197.71 |
| Total per month | €197.71 |
| Total per year | €2,372.52 |
The calculator is indicative. The exact maintenance amount is always confirmed in an agreement or a court decision and depends on the parents’ income, the child’s needs, alternating residence and stay-over deductions. Kela confirms the allowance in its decision. Check your own situation in OmaKela or with the child welfare officer.
How is the maintenance allowance calculated?
Child maintenance allowance (elatustuki) is a family benefit Kela pays to secure a child’s maintenance when the child does not receive adequate maintenance from both parents. The full allowance in 2026 is 197.71 euros a month per child. In 2025 it was 198.13 euros, and it fell because of the change in the cost-of-living index. Kela pays the full allowance if the liable parent does not pay the confirmed maintenance, or if no maintenance has been confirmed because of the parent’s insolvency. If the maintenance has been set below the full allowance due to the parent’s weak paying ability, Kela pays the difference (a reduced top-up). Kela pays at most the full allowance per child. If the confirmed maintenance is higher than the full allowance but unpaid, Kela pays the full allowance and collects the maintenance from the liable parent. The allowance is tax-free income for the recipient.
When does Kela pay the allowance and how much?
Kela pays the full allowance, 197.71 euros a month per child, when the liable parent does not pay the confirmed maintenance, when no maintenance has been confirmed because of the parent’s insolvency, or when the child has no second parent who could be ordered to pay maintenance. The allowance is also available when paternity or parenthood has not been established.
If the maintenance has been set in the agreement or the court decision below the full allowance because of the liable parent’s weak paying ability, Kela pays the difference (a reduced top-up) between the full allowance and the confirmed maintenance. For example, if the maintenance is 100 euros a month, Kela pays 97.71 euros, so the child receives full maintenance. Kela pays at most the full allowance per child.
If the confirmed maintenance is higher than the full allowance but unpaid, Kela pays the child the full allowance and collects the unpaid maintenance from the liable parent within their means. Unpaid instalments become a maintenance debt that also includes late-payment interest. The allowance is paid to the resident parent or the child’s guardian.
The allowance is tax-free income for the recipient and is not reported in taxation. Its amount is reviewed yearly against the cost-of-living index: in 2025 it was 198.13 euros and in 2026 it is 197.71 euros. A separate matter is the maintenance amount, which is also index-linked and reviewed yearly. It is worth having the maintenance agreement confirmed by the municipal child welfare officer so that Kela can pay the allowance and collect the maintenance when needed.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the allowance in 2026?
The full allowance in 2026 is 197.71 euros a month per child. In 2025 it was 198.13 euros, so it fell by 0.42 euros due to the index. For two children the full allowance is 395.42 euros a month and for three 593.13 euros.
When does Kela pay the maintenance allowance?
Kela pays it when the liable parent does not pay the confirmed maintenance, when the maintenance has been set below the full amount due to insolvency, or when the child has no second parent who could be ordered to pay. The allowance is also available if paternity has not been established.
What is the reduced top-up (erotustuki)?
If the maintenance has been set below the full allowance due to the parent’s weak paying ability, Kela pays the difference between the full allowance and the confirmed maintenance. For example, if the maintenance is 100 euros, Kela pays 197.71 − 100 = 97.71 euros a month per child, so the child receives full maintenance.
Is the allowance tax-free income?
Yes. The allowance is tax-free income for the recipient (the resident parent) and does not need to be reported in taxation. The same applies to the maintenance: the receiving parent does not report it. The paying parent, on the other hand, may get a small tax deduction on the maintenance if the agreement is confirmed.
What is the difference between the allowance and maintenance?
Maintenance (elatusapu) is the amount the liable parent pays for the child’s upkeep; its amount is confirmed in an agreement or a court decision. The allowance (elatustuki) is a Kela benefit that secures maintenance when it is not paid or is below the full allowance. The allowance is a fixed amount, while the maintenance varies by situation.
Does Kela collect unpaid maintenance?
Yes. If the liable parent fails to pay the confirmed maintenance and the resident parent asks Kela to collect it, Kela pays the child the allowance and collects the confirmed maintenance from the liable parent within their means. Unpaid instalments become a maintenance debt that also includes late-payment interest.