In Switzerland, every employer has a legal obligation to contribute to a family allowance fund. And every worker with children is entitled to receive a monthly allowance: from 2026, the federal minimum is CHF 225 per month per child up to the age of 16, and CHF 278 if the child is still in training, up to the age of 25. The law is clear. Practice is another matter.
What many people don't know is that each canton can pay more than that federal minimum. And some do. The exact amount depends on the canton where the employee works, not where the family lives. There is also something that surprises many: freelancers are entitled in most cantons, but they must affiliate themselves to a box. No one is going to do it for them.
The most frequent mistake I see in the group: when the child turns 16 and continues in high school or an apprenticeship, many stop claiming the assignments believing that they no longer correspond to them. The right continues, but it must be justified every year with a certificate of schooling. If it is not presented, the box interrupts it without further notice.
And when you change jobs, you have to notify them. The cash register does not automatically follow the employee: it is the new employer who manages the affiliation, but it is convenient to verify that the transfer has been made correctly. Many people discover this when they have not been paid for months without understanding why.