Should family benefits paid incorrectly be repaid?

Verified 27 June 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

Yes, you must reimburse the benefits wrongly paid by the Family allowance fund (Caf) or the Agricultural social mutual fund (MSA). Caf or MSA may ask you to reimburse benefits wrongly paid during a period of Two years. This period is 5 years if the award of these benefits is the result of fraud or misrepresentation on your part. After these deadlines, Caf or MSA can no longer ask you for a refund. We explain the rules to know.

The recovery of wrongly paid family benefits is done in one of the following ways:

  • In a single installment
  • In several installments (a sum is then regularly deducted from the benefits paid subsequently).

In the case of fraud (e.g. acts to obtain or attempt to obtain the undue payment of benefits), the amount of the penalty is determined according to the seriousness of the facts.

For example, the intentional or repeated nature of the alleged acts, the amount of the damage and its duration, the means and methods used.

This amount can go up to €16,020.

In the event of a repeat offense, this amount may be up to €48,060.

Warning  

Penalties are increased when the intent to defraud is established.

If a change occurs in your household, you must report it immediately to the Caf or MSA, even if you have already reported it to another organization (Impôts, France Travail, CPAM: titleContent ...).

This will help you avoid having to repay money wrongly collected to Caf.

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