Everything under the magnifying glass

In view of the complex financial situation in patchwork families, the 3-account model is recommended for managing finances. Behind this is a simple recommendation: both partners ideally keep their own personal checking account for their wage and salary payments, child support, alimony payments, pocket money, etc. For joint finances, a joint account is opened to handle rent, household expenses, vacations and similar expenses. The 3-account model helps to keep track of everything and divide joint expenses fairly.

After a separation, the question of which parent receives child benefit for the joint child must be clarified. Only one parent is entitled to receive child benefit. A distinction must be made between the following cases:

• If the parents live separately or are divorced, the parent with whom the child lives predominantly in the household gets the child benefit.
• In the alternating model, the parents determine to whom the child benefit is paid.
• If the parents live despite separation in a common household, they determine among themselves who should get the child benefit.

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• If a parent pays alimony, the alimony is reduced by half of the child support.

Tax allowances for children can be transferred by natural parents to a stepparent if necessary. The separated parent must agree. A prerequisite for this is that the stepfather or stepmother is married to the natural parent and the child lives in the joint household.

When you move in together, it's worth taking a look at your insurance coverage. You should check for all insurance policies and tariffs whether they need to be adjusted to the new situation or whether you may be insured twice. For example, you may not both need homeowners insurance. One of the two policies is redundant and can be cancelled. If necessary, adjust the remaining policy to the new circumstances. Personal liability and accident insurance can also be taken out for the entire patchwork family. This may offer potential savings through more favorable rates.

Under certain circumstances, stepchildren can be insured in the step-parent's statutory health insurance without having to pay contributions. For this, the stepchild must live in your joint household. If the stepchild does not live in your household, for example because he or she is studying elsewhere, the health insurance company will check whether you, as the stepfather or stepmother, are responsible for most of the maintenance. In this case, a non-contributory co-insurance in the family insurance is also possible.

Patchwork partners are legally considered a community in need together with the stepchildren - even if you are not married to each other. Social law assumes that you are mutually responsible for your new family and provide for each other financially. So if you live together as a patchwork family, the income and assets of the patchwork partner will be counted towards the needs of the other. The obligation to stand in also includes your partner's stepchildren if they are not covered by maintenance payments from the other parent. So you are obligated to be financially responsible for the children brought into the relationship, even if they are not your own - the same applies to your new partner.

If you are a single parent, you can receive advance maintenance payments if your ex-partner pays no or only irregular maintenance for your child. If you form a patchwork family with your new relationship, this entitlement remains. Your child will therefore continue to be entitled to advance maintenance payments even if you live together with your new partner in the same household. However, this changes if you remarry. Then you are no longer entitled to maintenance advance.