Child Maintenance in 2026: Court Order or Lawsuit • DSA GROUP

Recovery of child maintenance is one of the most common family disputes in Ukraine. If one of the parents does not voluntarily contribute to supporting the child, the law allows the money to be recovered through the court. However, not everyone knows how to recover child maintenance, which way of applying to the court to choose, and what amount of child maintenance in Ukraine is guaranteed by law.

In this article, the lawyers of LF “DSA GROUP” explain the minimum child maintenance in Ukraine in 2026, when to apply for a court order, and when a child maintenance lawsuit is necessary.

What is the amount of child maintenance in Ukraine in 2026?

Under Article 182 of the Family Code of Ukraine, the minimum child maintenance in Ukraine is 50% of the subsistence minimum for a child of the respective age.

In 2026, this amounts to:

UAH 1,408.50 — for children under 6;
UAH 1,756.00 — for children aged 6 to 18.

This is the minimum guaranteed amount, and the court cannot set it lower unless there are exceptional circumstances.

How much is child maintenance when it is recovered as a share of income?

Most often, child maintenance is recovered as a share of the payer’s earnings.

The law provides for:

for one child — 1/4 of income;
for two children — 1/3 of income;
for three or more children — 1/2 of the payer’s income.

In other words, child maintenance for two children amounts to one third of all types of earnings (income) of the payer.

How to recover child maintenance through a court order

If you want to know how to recover child maintenance as quickly as possible, the best option is to file an application for a court order.

A court order can be issued only when child maintenance is recovered as a share of the payer’s income.

The main advantages of this method:

no court fee is payable;
the case is considered without summoning the parties;
no court hearing is held;
the court issues the order within 5 days of receiving the application;
the court order can be submitted for enforcement straight away.

That is why, in most cases, recovering child maintenance through a court order is the most effective way to protect the child’s rights.

When do you need to file a child maintenance lawsuit?

A court order cannot be obtained in every situation.

A child maintenance lawsuit is filed if:

child maintenance needs to be set as a fixed sum of money;
the payer has no official income;
the payer receives irregular or hidden income;
other family disputes need to be resolved at the same time.

Unlike order proceedings, claim proceedings involve:

preparing a statement of claim;
the court opening proceedings;
the parties taking part in court hearings;
examination of evidence;
a judgment being delivered after the case is heard.

It is through a child maintenance lawsuit that the court can set a fixed amount of child maintenance.

Court order or lawsuit: which is better?

If there is no dispute between the parties and child maintenance is to be recovered as a share of income, a court order is the best option.

If, however, a fixed sum needs to be set, additional circumstances established, or other family matters resolved at the same time, a child maintenance lawsuit must be filed.

In each specific case, the way of applying to the court is chosen individually after reviewing the documents.

How to recover child maintenance from a serviceman

Many clients ask how to recover child maintenance from a serviceman.

The procedure for applying to the court is the same as in other categories of cases. Child maintenance can be recovered either as a share of the serviceman’s pay and allowances or as a fixed sum, depending on the circumstances of the particular case.

Recovery of child maintenance arrears

If a court decision already exists but the payer does not fulfil their obligations, child maintenance arrears can be recovered through the State Enforcement Service or a private enforcement officer.

In this case, a lawyer will help to calculate the amount of the debt correctly, prepare the necessary documents and ensure effective enforcement of the court decision.

Child maintenance lawyer

If you need a child maintenance lawyer, the specialists of LF “DSA GROUP” will help you to:

analyse your situation;
choose the best way of recovering child maintenance;
prepare an application for a court order;
prepare a child maintenance lawsuit;
represent your interests in court;
support the recovery of child maintenance arrears;
provide full legal support in your family case.

Contacting a lawyer at an early stage helps to avoid mistakes in preparing documents and significantly speeds up obtaining a court decision.