Family Law Law
Articles on uncontested and contested divorce, the liquidation of the matrimonial property regime, alimony, custody and damages claims appear in this section. The provisions on family law in the Turkish Civil Code form the basis of these articles.
Child Support and Children's Expenses: Calculation and Increase
Support paid for the child under TMK m.182/2 and m.327-328
What is child support, how is it calculated, until what age is it paid? Education expenses, health costs and the action for increase of child support.
Child support (iştirak nafakası) is the obligation of the non-custodial spouse to contribute, in proportion to financial means, to the child's maintenance and education. TMK m.182/2 provides that in regulating the personal relationship of the non-custodial spouse with the child, the judge takes the child's interests — particularly in health, education and morals — as the guiding standard.
Legal Basis and Nature
Child support is paid for the child and belongs to the child, not to the custodial parent. TMK m.327 provides that the child's maintenance and education expenses are met by the parents; TMK m.328 sets out that support shall be consistent with the child's needs and the parents' standard of living.
Child support is awarded by the judge ex officio, even where not requested. This follows from the principle of protection of the child.
Determining the Amount
The amount is set in light of the child's age, level of education, health, and customary standard of living; and the debtor's income, assets and obligations toward other children. Even a debtor with limited income may be ordered to contribute to the child's expenses.
Additional claims are possible for extraordinary expenses such as private tuition and health costs. After the child attains majority, child support does not continue automatically if education continues; assistance maintenance may be claimed where the conditions are met (TMK m.328/2 and m.364).
End of Support and Action for Increase
Child support, as a rule, ends when the child attains majority (age 18). However, if the child's education continues, payment can be sought for the duration of the education as 'assistance maintenance' (yardım nafakası) under TMK m.328/2 and m.364.
An action for increase of support may be brought to adapt the amount to changing economic conditions. In such actions, the date of the previous decision, the child's growing needs, changes in the parties' income, and inflation indicators are all considered.
Practical Considerations
In family-law matters, the legal assessment is made by taking into account the fault of the parties, the best interest of the children, their economic circumstances, and the lawfulness of the evidence. Message records, witness statements, bank transactions, medical reports and police reports become effective only when submitted in proper form.
Claims for divorce, support, custody, compensation and division of matrimonial property may produce independent outcomes. The petition must therefore clearly set out which claim is based on which facts and which evidence.
In disputes concerning children, the court takes into account the child's physical, emotional, educational and social needs rather than the parties' assertions. Social-investigation reports, school arrangements, health condition and the parents' communication style play an important role in the court's assessment.
Relevant Statutory Provisions
- TMK m.182Custody, personal relationship and support in divorce
Original (Turkish, official):
Madde 182 - Mahkeme boşanma veya ayrılığa karar verirken, olanak bulundukça ana ve babayı dinledikten ve çocuk vesayet altında ise vasinin ve vesayet makamının düşüncesini aldıktan sonra, ana ve babanın haklarını ve çocuk ile olan kişisel ilişkilerini düzenler. (Ek ikinci fıkra:24/11/2021-7343/37 md.) Mahkeme, kararında kişisel ilişki düzenlemesinin gereklerinin yerine getirilmemesi hâlinde, çocuğun menfaatine aykırı olmamak kaydıyla velayetin değiştirilebileceğini ihtar eder. Velâyetin kullanılması kendisine verilmeyen eşin çocuk ile kişisel ilişkisinin düzenlenmesinde, çocuğun özellikle sağlık, eğitim ve ahlâk bakımından yararları esas tutulur. Bu eş, çocuğun bakım ve eğitim giderlerine gücü oranında katılmak zorundadır. Hâkim, istem hâlinde irat biçiminde ödenmesine karar verilen bu giderlerin gelecek yıllarda tarafların sosyal ve ekonomik durumlarına göre ne miktarda ödeneceğini karara bağlayabilir.
English summary (non-binding):
Article 182- In deciding divorce or separation, the court — having heard the parents where possible and obtained the opinion of any guardian and supervisory authority where the child is under guardianship — regulates parental rights and the personal relationship with the child. The court warns in its judgment that, where the personal-relationship arrangement is not complied with, custody may be changed if not contrary to the child's interest. In regulating the personal relationship of the non-custodial spouse, the child's interests, particularly in health, education and morals, are paramount. The non-custodial spouse must contribute to the child's maintenance and education in proportion to means. On request, the judge may rule on the amount payable in future years.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12
- TMK m.327Child's maintenance and education expenses
Original (Turkish, official):
Madde 327- Çocuğun bakımı, eğitimi ve korunması için gerekli giderler ana ve baba tarafından karşılanır. Ana ve baba, yoksul oldukları veya çocuğun özel durumu olağanüstü harcamalar yapılmasını gerektirdiği takdirde ya da olağan dışı herhangi bir sebebin varlığı hâlinde, hâkimin izniyle çocuğun mallarından onun bakım ve eğitimine yetecek belli bir miktar sarfedebilirler.
English summary (non-binding):
Article 327- The expenses necessary for the child's care, education and protection are borne by the parents. Where the parents are in poverty, or the child's particular circumstances require extraordinary expenditure, or for any extraordinary reason, the parents may, with the judge's permission, spend a defined amount of the child's own assets sufficient for the child's care and education.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12
- TMK m.328Duration of support and continuing education
Original (Turkish, official):
Madde 328- Ana ve babanın bakım borcu, çocuğun ergin olmasına kadar devam eder. Çocuk ergin olduğu halde eğitimi devam ediyorsa, ana ve baba durum ve koşullara göre kendilerinden beklenebilecek ölçüde olmak üzere, eğitimi sona erinceye kadar çocuğa bakmakla yükümlüdürler.
English summary (non-binding):
Article 328- The parents' duty of maintenance continues until the child attains majority. If the child has attained majority but his/her education continues, the parents remain obliged — to the extent reasonably expected of them in the circumstances — to maintain the child until the education ends.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12
- TMK m.330Determination of support
Original (Turkish, official):
Madde 330- Nafaka miktarı, çocuğun ihtiyaçları ile ana ve babanın hayat koşulları ve ödeme güçleri dikkate alınarak belirlenir. Nafaka miktarının belirlenmesinde çocuğun gelirleri de göz önünde bulundurulur. Nafaka her ay peşin olarak ödenir. Hâkim istem hâlinde, irat biçiminde ödenmesine karar verilen nafakanın gelecek yıllarda tarafların sosyal ve ekonomik durumlarına göre ne miktarda ödeneceğini karara bağlayabilir.
English summary (non-binding):
Article 330- The amount of support is determined in light of the child's needs and the parents' living conditions and means. The child's own income is also taken into account. Support is paid in advance each month. On request, the judge may rule on the amount payable in future years for support ordered as a periodic payment, according to the parties' social and economic circumstances.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12
- TMK m.364Assistance maintenance
Original (Turkish, official):
Madde 364- Herkes, yardım etmediği takdirde yoksulluğa düşecek olan üstsoyu ve altsoyu ile kardeşlerine nafaka vermekle yükümlüdür. Kardeşlerin nafaka yükümlülükleri, refah içinde bulunmalarına bağlıdır. Eş ile ana ve babanın bakım borçlarına ilişkin hükümler saklıdır.
English summary (non-binding):
Article 364- Each person is obliged to pay assistance maintenance to ascendants, descendants and siblings who would otherwise fall into poverty. Siblings' maintenance obligations are conditional on their being prosperous. The provisions on maintenance owed to a spouse and by the parents are reserved.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12
- İİK m.344Non-payment of support — coercive imprisonment
Original (Turkish, official):
Madde 344 – (Değişik: 31/5/2005-5358/15 md.) Nafakaya ilişkin kararların gereğini yerine getirmeyen borçlunun, alacaklının şikâyeti üzerine, üç aya kadar tazyik hapsine karar verilir. Hapsin tatbikine başlandıktan sonra kararın gereği yerine getirilirse, borçlu tahliye edilir. Borçlunun, nafakanın kaldırılması veya azaltılması talebiyle dava açmış olması halinde, ileri sürdüğü sebepler göz önünde bulundurularak, tazyik hapsinin uygulanması bu davanın sonuna bırakılabilir.
English summary (non-binding):
Article 344- A debtor who fails to comply with a support order may, on the creditor's complaint, be sentenced to coercive imprisonment for up to three months. If, after imprisonment has begun, the order is complied with, the debtor is released. If the debtor has filed an action for termination or reduction of the support, application of coercive imprisonment may be deferred until the conclusion of that action, having regard to the grounds asserted.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12
The statutory provisions are reproduced for information purposes only. The current and official text on mevzuat.gov.tr is authoritative.
Conclusion
Child support flows from the duty to contribute to the child's care and education. In setting the amount, the child's concrete needs and the parents' capacity to pay must be considered together.
This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you would like professional assistance on a specific matter, you may request a consultation.
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