Introduction of child benefit

In 2016, child allowance in the Caribbean Netherlands was replaced by child benefit. As of January 2016, all households with minor children can apply for a fixed amount per month at Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland. The former child allowance was calculated on the taxable income in the form of a fiscal deduction (a fixed amount per child and with a maximum of two children). This could be used, provided that the income exceeded the tax-free income threshold. The drawback of this allowance was that households with an income below the tax-free threshold did not qualify or barely qualified. With the introduction of child benefit, the income condition was abandoned and now all households with minor children receive a fixed amount per month.