Child Support (Издръжка на дете)

Both parents have a legal obligation to support their children financially until the child reaches adulthood (age 18) or completes higher education (up to age 25 if enrolled in full-time studies). This obligation exists regardless of whether the parents were married.

How Child Support Is Determined

By Agreement

Parents can agree on child support as part of:

• A mutual consent divorce settlement
• A separate agreement outside of divorce proceedings

The court reviews the agreement to ensure the amount adequately covers the child’s needs.

By Court Decision

When parents cannot agree, the court determines child support based on:

• Child’s needs — food, clothing, education, healthcare, extracurricular activities
• Child’s age — older children generally require more support
• Standard of living — the child should maintain a standard reasonably close to what they had during the marriage
• Each parent’s income and financial capacity
• Custodial parent’s contributions — the custodial parent’s in-kind contributions (housing, daily care) are considered

Minimum and Maximum Amounts

• The minimum child support is set by the government and periodically updated (currently around BGN 200–250 per month per child)
• There is no statutory maximum, but the amount must be reasonable relative to the parent’s income
• The court can also order contributions to extraordinary expenses (medical treatment, school fees)

Spousal Alimony (Издръжка на съпруг)

Spousal alimony is not automatic in Bulgaria. It is awarded only when specific conditions are met.

Eligibility

A spouse may claim alimony if:

• They are unable to support themselves due to age, illness, or disability
• They were not at fault for the divorce (in contested divorce)
• The other spouse has the financial capacity to pay

Duration

• Alimony is typically awarded for a maximum of 3 years after the divorce
• The court may set a shorter period based on circumstances
• Alimony ends if the receiving spouse remarries or begins cohabiting with a new partner
• Alimony also ends if the paying spouse’s financial situation deteriorates significantly

Amount

The amount depends on:

• The receiving spouse’s actual needs and inability to self-support
• The paying spouse’s income and financial obligations
• The standard of living during the marriage
• Both spouses’ health and age

Modifying Support Orders

Child support and alimony can be modified if circumstances change:

• Increase — if the child’s needs grow or the paying parent’s income rises significantly
• Decrease — if the paying parent loses income, becomes ill, or has new dependents
• Termination — when the child reaches adulthood, the receiving spouse remarries, or other qualifying events occur

A new court petition is required for modification.

Enforcement of Support Obligations

If a parent or spouse fails to pay:

• The receiving party can initiate enforcement proceedings through a bailiff
• The bailiff can garnish wages, seize bank accounts, or attach property
• Persistent non-payment may result in criminal prosecution — failure to pay support is a crime under the Bulgarian Criminal Code (up to 1 year imprisonment)
• EU Maintenance Regulation facilitates cross-border enforcement within the EU

International Support Cases

For families with foreign elements:

• EU Maintenance Regulation (4/2009) determines jurisdiction and applicable law within the EU
• Hague Protocol on applicable law to maintenance obligations may apply
• Bulgarian support orders are directly enforceable in other EU member states
• For non-EU countries, enforcement depends on bilateral agreements or local recognition procedures

Get Legal Assistance in Troyan

Whether you need to establish, modify, or enforce child support or alimony, proper legal representation protects your rights and your children’s welfare. Attorney Biser Dimov in Troyan handles support cases for both Bulgarian and foreign clients. Contact us for a confidential consultation.