淺談家庭成員的扶養義務與權益【楊忠憲律師】

在現代社會，家庭是人們生活的核心，而家庭成員之間的扶養義務與權益，更是一個不可忽視的議題。隨著家庭結構的改變和社會價值的轉變，扶養的觀念和法律條文也在不斷調整。本文將探討民法中關於扶養的相關條文，以及在不同情況下如何解決相關的法律問題。

根據民法第1115條，當有多人負有扶養義務時，有一定的先後順序：首先是直系血親的卑親屬，其次是直系血親的尊親屬，然後是家長，接著是兄弟姊妹，然後是家屬，接著是子婦、女婿，最後是夫妻之父母。若有相同親等的情況，則以親緣關係較近的為優先。同一親等下，則依據經濟能力進行分擔。

而民法第1117條則限制了受扶養權利者的範圍，只有「不能維持生活而無謀生能力者」才有扶養權利。這意味著扶養的對象必須在經濟上無法自給自足的情況下，才能請求扶養。

然而，若扶養義務人有多人，且其親等相同，則應根據經濟能力分擔扶養責任。如果有特殊情況，例如受扶養人對扶養人有虐待或重大侮辱，或者無正當理由未盡扶養義務，則根據民法第1118-1條，扶養義務人可以向法院申請減輕或免除扶養義務。當然，這需要根據情況進行審酌和判斷。

扶養費的計算又該如何拿捏？
扶養費的計算在家庭法律紛爭中扮演著重要的角色，而父母各該負擔多少扶養費，通常會由夫妻雙方自行協調，但若無法達成共識，則可以請求法院來進行裁量。根據家事事件法的規定，涉及扶養費的請求在訴訟前必須經過法院的調解程序，旨在希望雙方能夠在和諧理智的狀態下達成扶養費的調解協議。如果經過調解程序仍然無法達成協議，則必須進入法院的訴訟程序。在這種情況下，法院在計算扶養費時通常會參考「行政院主計總處全國收支調查報告-平均每人月消費支出」的相關資料。然而，這僅是參考之一，法院還會考慮其他因素，如孩子的需求、雙方的薪資、財務狀況以及照顧狀況等。因此，扶養費的計算不僅僅依賴於數據，還需根據個別情況進行詳細的分析和考量。需要強調的是，進入法院訴訟程序之前，仍然會經過調解程序，以尋求雙方達成和解。雖然進入法庭可能會使雙方關係更加緊張，但這也是最後的解決途徑。因此，扶養費調解階段的談判通常會比較彈性，雙方可以根據具體情況進行協商，以期達成共識。
根據民法的規定，扶養之程度及方法可以因情事的變更而請求調整。特別是在孩子尚未成年的情況下，如果出現了特殊情況，導致原本約定的扶養費不足以應付生活所需，根據法律，可以選擇由父母雙方自行協調，或是訴請法院裁定進行變更。
此外，2023年1月1日後，我國的民法將成年年齡從原本的20歲調整為18歲。然而，對於已經享有至20歲成年的權益的人，在這次修法後依然可以保留這些權益，並享受到20歲成年的相關利益。

A Discussion on the Obligations and Rights of Family Members Regarding Support

In modern society, the family serves as the core of people’s lives, and the obligations and rights of family members regarding support are an essential topic that cannot be ignored. With changes in family structures and shifts in societal values, the concept of support and the related legal provisions have been continuously adjusted. This article explores relevant articles in the Civil Code concerning support and how legal issues can be addressed in different scenarios.

According to Article 1115 of the Civil Code, when multiple individuals share the obligation to provide support, there is a specific order of priority: first, it’s the lower-ranking blood relatives of direct lineage, followed by higher-ranking blood relatives of direct lineage, then parents, siblings, other relatives, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, and finally the parents of a spouse. In cases where individuals share the same degree of relationship, priority is given to those with closer blood ties. Under the same degree of relationship, the responsibility to provide support is divided based on financial capability.

Furthermore, Article 1117 of the Civil Code limits the scope of individuals entitled to receive support. Only those who “are unable to maintain their livelihood and lack the ability to support themselves” have the right to claim support. This means that individuals seeking support must be financially incapable of self-sufficiency to qualify for such assistance.

However, when multiple individuals bear the obligation to provide support and share the same degree of relationship, the responsibility to provide support should be divided based on their financial capacity. If special circumstances arise, such as instances where the support obligation provider subjects the recipient to abuse or significant humiliation, or when there is no justifiable reason to fulfill the support obligation, Article 1118-1 of the Civil Code allows the support obligation provider to request the court to reduce or exempt them from the support obligation. Naturally, such requests require careful consideration and judgment based on the specific situation.

How is the calculation of support determined?
The calculation of support plays a crucial role in family legal disputes, and determining how much support each parent should contribute is typically resolved through mutual agreement between the spouses. However, if consensus cannot be reached, seeking intervention from the court for a decision is possible. According to the provisions of the Family Litigation Act, requests involving support must undergo a mediation process by the court before litigation begins. This process aims to facilitate amicable and rational negotiations for a support agreement. If mediation fails to produce an agreement, litigation becomes necessary. In such cases, when calculating support, courts typically refer to the “National Income and Expenditure Survey Report by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics – Average Monthly Expenditure per Person” as a reference for calculating support. However, this is just one aspect of consideration; courts also take into account other factors such as the child’s needs, the income of both parents, financial circumstances, and caregiving arrangements. As a result, calculating support is not solely based on data but requires in-depth analysis and evaluation of individual circumstances.

It’s worth emphasizing that before entering into the court litigation process, a mediation procedure is still required, aiming to achieve a settlement between both parties. While proceeding to court may strain the relationship between parties, it is the final resolution pathway. Thus, negotiations during the support mediation phase tend to be more flexible, allowing both parties to adapt negotiations to specific circumstances to reach a consensus.

According to the provisions of the Civil Code, the degree and method of support can be adjusted due to changes in circumstances. Especially when children are still minors, if specific situations arise that lead to the originally agreed-upon support being insufficient to cover necessary expenses, it’s possible to initiate discussions for support adjustments. This can be achieved through mutual agreement between parents or by requesting court intervention for adjustments. Additionally, starting from January 1, 2023, the legal adult age in our country has been adjusted from the original age of 20 to 18. However, those who already enjoyed rights and benefits until the age of 20, based on prior laws, administrative decisions, court judgments, or contracts, can still retain these rights and benefits after this legal adjustment, enjoying the relevant benefits for legal adults up to the age of 20.