Maintenance increase of 4.6 % for 2026
The Dutch government indexes all maintenance / alimony obligations in line with inflation every year. In 2026, the maintenance increase will be 4.6 %.
The role of child protection services in Dutch divorce and child custody cases
In The Netherlands, if a child is deemed at risk, child protection services can be called in. This can range from voluntary help to forced interventions. However, it is a stubborn myth that the authorities take children out of their homes easily. This article examines the role of child protection servicesRead more
Dividing foreign pensions after divorce in The Netherlands
In a previous blog we discussed some of the difficulties of dividing foreign pensions after a divorce in The Netherlands. In two recent cases the Dutch courts highlight the need to assess each pension individually for a fair division of foreign pensions.
I am paying maintenance, but my ex-spouse does not want to work
You are paying maintenance to your ex-partner, but they do not want to work. What legal action can you take to reduce maintenance?
Read moreCan you forfeit spousal maintenance due to bad behaviour?
This blog deals with the tricky question whether a spouse can forfeit spousal maintenance in The Netherlands due to bad behaviour.
Read moreMaintenance increase for 2025
The Dutch government indexes all maintenance / alimony obligations in line with inflation every year. Another big increase of 6.5 % has been announced for 2025.
Adoption by a step-parent in The Netherlands
What if the biological parent is not a feature in the children’s lives but your new partner is? Sometimes after a divorce the other parent disappears and is not there to make the important decisions and a new partner is the ‘Dad’ in the children’s lives. Or the biological parentRead more
Maintenance increase for 2024
Your maintenance payments in The Netherlands will automatically increase by 6.2 % on the 1st of January 2024.
Read moreMoving abroad: Sole custody has its limits
A parent with sole custody traditionally has the right to decide all matters regarding their child without needing permission from the other parent. This includes moving abroad with the child if the parent so wishes. However, in recent years the rights of the other parent, usually fathers, are increasingly beingRead more
Spousal maintenance changes for 2023
Calculating spousal maintenance is notoriously difficult in The Netherlands. The working group that devises the maintenance regulations has been searching for ways to simplify the calculation for many years. The latest spousal maintenance changes for 2023 could now have a major effect on the amount of maintenance owed.