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Having a large family in Belgium pays off, says federal agency
There are currently about 100 families living in Belgium with 10 children or more, according to Famifed, the federal agency in charge of family allowances, writes Het Nieuwsblad. As a counterweight to the large amount of work and worry that comes with having a large family, the state provides some financial benefits, the agency says.
"The Belgian system of family allowances provides a monthly benefit that increases with the number of children," says Famifed spokeswoman Mathilde Beirnaert. "For a first child, parents get about €90 per month. The amount is then systematically raised to nearly €250 for a third child. From the third child, all children receive the same amount. "
After the fourth child, the benefit really starts to add up, according to Beirnaert. “In Flanders, there’s a family with 14 children. Their allowance is about €3,420 monthly." In Wallonia, where the family allowance is even higher, one particular family with 13 children receives €4,646 a month," she says.
The basic family allowance can also be extended for social reasons, for example if one of the children has a disability, so that parents may request additional support.
Comments
I totally disagree with families being paid by the state for the number of children they have. Having children is a personal choice. If you cannot afford to have them, don't have them. Belgium cannot afford large families. Belgium needs to do what the UK is now doing. Impoverished families with 2 children can get benefits if parents have financial problems or unemployed. If you continue to have children in the UK, these families will not continue to get child benefit. Otherwise, as you can expect and it happens, one parent (and sometimes these single parents have a spouse!) continues to produce children demanding larger and larger homes, more benefits, and they never ever get back into the work force. It is lunacy. Stop allocation familiale except for those making a very low salary. Everyone else decides if they want children or not, they get a 2nd job, they get their parents to help, you find another way.
So that explains why I always see moms with at least 4 kids in the Porte de Namur area or around the Comte De Flandre metro stop.
I always heard that one had to have at least 3 children to be able to cash in on the full benefits and tax breaks. What I have always found insane is that people who earn serious money (including dentists, doctors, etc.) are entitled to cash in on this and they actually do.
Yes, it gets even worse! You get allocation familial until the "child" is 26 years old if attending school! That is ludicrous. Get rid of all these benefits. A "child" of 26 does not need money sent to his mother! Just so you know, my cleaning lady's son had 2 children. The son was smart and put all the funds he received from allocation familial into a bank account. When each of the daughters reached 18 years old, guess how much money each girl had accumulated in her bank account thanks to the Belgian state (let's not forget that each parent worked, BRAVO, they owned a house and a car)--20.000 euros each girl.