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In what cases can a child be considered a dependent for the SAR?
Verified 01 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
What applies to you ?
A child is considered to be dependent on you when you effectively and permanently bear his maintenance costs (education, clothing, food and accommodation) and he resides in France in a stable manner. A child considered dependent by your Caf: titleContent or your MSA: titleContent may not be in tax matters. For the RSA: titleContent, an adult over 25 years of age cannot be considered a dependent.
Before 6 years
A child is considered to be your dependent in one of the following cases:
- It opens straight to family benefits
- It is your effective and permanent responsibility
More generally, a person is dependent on you when you bear the costs of maintaining education, clothing, food and accommodation.
The dependent child may be recognized or not, adopted or entrusted for adoption, ward of the Nation or taken in.
FYI
According to the administrative judge, the child in alternate custody is the responsibility of the two parents. As a result, if they qualify for the HBP, each parent can receive half of the child allowance.
A child who has family ties in France and lives there permanently is considered to be dependent on his parents. On the other hand, if your child completes, outside France, one or more temporary stays whose duration exceeds 3 months during the calendar year, he can no longer be considered as being dependent.
If you receive new assistance (for example, housing assistance) or income (for example, if you are hired in FIXED-TERM CONTRACT: titleContent), you must report it as soon as possible to your Caf or to your CMSA.
Everything overpayment must be refunded.
Between 6 and 16 years old
A child is considered to be your dependent in one of the following cases:
- It opens straight to family benefits
- It is your effective and permanent responsibility
More generally, a person is dependent on you when you bear the costs of maintaining education, clothing, food and accommodation.
The dependent child may be recognized or not, adopted or entrusted for adoption, ward of the Nation or taken in.
Schooling is compulsory for a child between the ages of 6 and 16. In this age group, the family allowances of the Caf or the CMSA are paid if the child is in one of the following situations:
- He is enrolled in a school
- He is home-schooled (e.g. in the framework of the National Center for Distance Learning - Cned)
- His health condition prevents him from attending school regularly
FYI
According to the administrative judge, the child in alternate custody is the responsibility of the two parents. As a result, if they qualify for the HBP, each parent can receive half of the child allowance.
A child who has family ties in France and lives there permanently is considered to be dependent on his parents. On the other hand, if your child completes, outside France, one or more temporary stays whose duration exceeds 3 months during the calendar year, he can no longer be considered as being dependent.
If you receive new assistance (for example, housing assistance) or income (for example, if you are hired in FIXED-TERM CONTRACT: titleContent), you must report it as soon as possible to your Caf or to your CMSA.
Everything overpayment must be refunded.
Between 16 and 25 years
From the age of 16, the dependent child may work. Thus, the condition relating to the remuneration of the child must be the subject of great attention on your part. Any change in the composition of your household must be reported to your CAFC or CMSA. In the absence of a declaration, you must repay an overpayment.
A child is considered to be your dependent in one of the following cases:
- It opens straight to family benefits
- It is your effective and permanent responsibility. If the child arrived in your home after his 17e birthday, they must be related to you until 4e degree included (first cousins).
More generally, a person is dependent on you when you bear the costs of maintaining education, clothing, food and accommodation.
The dependent child may be recognized or not, adopted or entrusted for adoption, ward of the Nation or taken in.
A child who has family ties in France and lives there permanently is considered to be dependent on his parents. On the other hand, if your child completes, outside France, one or more temporary stays whose duration exceeds 3 months during the calendar year, he can no longer be considered as being dependent.
It all depends if the dependent child enters the labor force or is a student, and if his or her remuneration is less than or greater than €1,117.26.
If the child continues his studies
The salaries received by the student are assessed over an average of 6 months (from 1er october to march 31 and from 1er April to September 30).
The total remuneration over a half-year is then divided by 6.
- If this average does not exceed €1,117.26 (55% of Smic: titleContent), the young child remains dependent for the 6 months concerned.
Example: for the young person who perceived €1,120.43 net in july and august, the monthly average for period 1er april to september 30 is €2,240.86 divided by 6, or €373.47. As this amount is below the ceiling, family benefits are therefore maintained in full for the entire period. - If the average exceeds the ceiling, the young person no longer counts for the calculation of benefits only for the months in which the monthly ceiling was exceeded.
The minimum wage taken into account depends on the period concerned:
- between October and March, it is the minimum wage in effect on 1er October,
- between April and September, this is the minimum wage in force on 1er April.
FYI
if the young person works during the holidays and does not resume his studies after, the ceiling is assessed monthly from 1er months of activity and not per 6-month period.
If he works all year round
If the child has entered the labor force and is working, his monthly net income cannot exceed €1,117.26 (55% of Smic: titleContent).
If his remuneration exceeds the ceiling in a given month, the right to benefits is abolished for that month.
Change in the composition of the hearth
If the composition of your household changes or you receive new assistance or income, you must report this change to your Caf or to your CMSA.
Example :
If you receive new housing assistance or if you are hired in FIXED-TERM CONTRACT: titleContent, you must report this change.
Principle of non-cumulation
It is no longer possible to declare the dependent child if he/she applies for a benefit at the Caf: titleContent or to the MSA: titleContent.
For example, if the child has moved from your home, and they want to receive housing assistance, you must report your change of situation to your Caf or to your CMSA.
Any overpayment must be refunded.
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