CBS (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek) reveals that in 2023, 13 per cent of recently divorced women received partner support from an ex-partner, compared to 18 per cent in 2011.
Partner alimony is a financial contribution in which one ex-partner pays the other to (temporarily) compensate for the income difference that arises after the divorce. CBS has analysed the incomes of people divorced from their registered or married partner no more than five years earlier. This research spans the period 2011 to 2023. In addition to partner support, there is child support, but CBS has no data.
Less partner support
Women received partner alimony less often, and men paid partner alimony less often. Between 2011 and 2023, the proportion of men who paid their partners alimony after a divorce decreased from 22 per cent to 14 per cent.
The average amount of alimony has also decreased in recent years. In 2023, women received an average of 693 euros per month, compared to 841 euros per month in 2011. Men paid an average of 581 euros per month in 2023, compared to 669 euros per month in 2011. These amounts have been adjusted for inflation.
There are relatively few divorced men who receive alimony, and the number of divorced women who pay it is also small (both 1 percent).
Amount of partner maintenance
You and your ex-partner can make agreements about the amount of maintenance. This is usually done with a mediator, lawyer or civil-law notary. If you cannot agree, the court can set the amount.
Partner maintenance determined or agreed as of 1 January 2020
Partner maintenance will be paid for up to 5 years. However, this period may be shorter if the marriage or civil partnership lasted less than 10 years. In such a case, the ex-partner will receive partner maintenance for half the time the marriage or partnership lasted. If, for example, you were married for 8 years, then you or your partner must pay spousal/partner maintenance for 4 years.
There are three exceptions to the new rules:
- If you and your ex-partner have children together, partner maintenance must be paid until the youngest child reaches the age of 12.
- If the marriage or civil partnership lasted at least 15 years and the ex-partner receiving maintenance will be eligible for an old-age pension (AOW) within 10 years, then maintenance must be paid until the recipient becomes eligible for AOW.
- If you were born on or before 1 January 1970, your marriage or civil partnership lasted longer than 15 years, and you will not be eligible for AOW until more than 10 years from now, then maintenance must be paid for 10 years.
If more than one of the above circumstances is applicable, the longest maintenance period will apply.
Maintenance determined or agreed between 1 July 1994 and 31 December 2019
- If you and your ex-partner have children together, partner maintenance must be paid for up to 12 years.
- If you and your ex-partner have no children and the marriage or civil partnership lasted longer than 5 years, partner maintenance must be paid for up to 12 years.
- If you and your ex-partner have no children and the marriage or civil partnership lasted less than 5 years, partner maintenance must be paid for as long as the marriage or civil partnership lasted.
Stopping partner maintenance if your ex-partner’s situation changes
If you pay maintenance, you may stop paying if your ex-partner:
- once again has sufficient income with which to support themselves;
- marries, enters into a civil partnership or cohabits with someone else;
- death.
For Eindhoven News: Beena Arunraj
