Shrnutí: The legislative changes of 2026 affect everyday life much more than one might think. New laws and amendments are changing the rules governing divorce, child custody, child support, unemployment benefits, and care for loved ones. We’ve prepared an overview of the most important legal changes of 2026, where you’ll find out exactly what’s changing and how the new rules affect ordinary citizens.
Changes to family law in 2026 will introduce new rules for divorce proceedings effective January 1. Their goal is to simplify the entire process, shorten its duration, and, above all, reduce conflicts between spouses. The law is based on the premise that if people want to get divorced, there is no point in burdening them with unnecessary evidence and “dredging up” their private lives in court.
A fundamental change is the new concept of a so-called “divorce by mutual consent.” If the spouses agree on the divorce (whether they file a petition jointly or one spouse joins the other’s petition), the court will no longer examine the causes of the marriage’s breakdown. In such cases, the breakdown of the marriage is deemed proven. At the same time, the previous legal presumption of breakdown based on a six-month period of separation is abolished. In practice, this means faster proceedings and less court interference in personal relationships.
The changes will also affect contested divorces. Here, too, the courts will focus primarily on the very existence of the breakdown of the marriage, rather than on determining “fault.” The only exceptions will be specific situations where a divorce could cause particularly serious harm to one of the spouses.
Another important change is the consolidation of divorce and child custody proceedings into a single proceeding if the spouses have minor children. This eliminates the need to go through two separate court proceedings, which will significantly speed up the entire process. Court fees will also change—while they remain lower for uncontested divorces, they will increase for contested divorces, which is intended to encourage spouses to reach an agreement.
Overall, 2026 will bring divorce proceedings that are less formal, less confrontational, and more focused on practical solutions to the situation.
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One of the most significant changes introduced by the 2026 amendment to family law is the elimination of the previous distinction between sole, shared, and joint custody. These terms are being phased out of Czech law and replaced by a unified concept—custody by both parents. The law thus responds to long-standing criticism that the “battle over custody labels” often unnecessarily escalated conflicts between parents and pitted them against one another.
The new approach is based on the premise that both parents remain full-fledged caregivers, even if they do not live together. A parents’ separation therefore does not mean that one of them is automatically the “primary” caregiver and the other merely a visitor. If the parents agree on a custody arrangement, the court will generally approve their agreement and will not interfere with its specific details.
Only if no agreement is reached will the court intervene and determine the extent of each parent’s care, typically the time allocation for caring for the child. In doing so, the court will focus primarily on the child’s best interests, stability, needs, and current way of life, rather than on a “fair division of time between the parents.” The new legislation gives courts greater leeway for individualized solutions that better reflect the specific family situation.
It also explicitly introduces the possibility of indirect contact, meaning contact between a parent and a child via telephone, video calls, or other means of communication. This provision reflects modern communication methods and is particularly important in cases where in-person contact is not possible or appropriate.
The goal of this entire change is not to experiment with family relationships, but to move away from a competitive model and strengthen parental cooperation for the benefit of the child.
Tip: Families with children are in for a major change. The long-standing child allowance will be eliminated starting in October 2025 and replaced by the so-called child bonus, which is one of the components of the new “super benefit.” What does this mean in practice? We explore this in our article.
The year 2026 brings several important changes in the area of child support, addressing long-standing problems with nonpayment as well as the strain on the criminal justice system. The goal of the new legislation is to improve the actual enforceability of child support while also limiting situations where nonpayment is automatically addressed through criminal proceedings, which often fail to resolve the issue.
One of the main changes is the option to assign a due child support claim. A parent to whom the other parent owes court-ordered child support will be able to assign (in simple terms, “sell”) this claim to a third party, such as a specialized debt collection agency. Payment for the assignment must be made electronically, and the law includes safeguards—for example, in cases where the assignment could conflict with the child’s best interests, court approval is required. The purpose of this change is to give the entitled parent the opportunity to receive the money more quickly and to relieve them of the long-term burden associated with enforcement.
A fundamental change is also taking place in criminal law. The criminal offense of failure to pay child support will now be limited solely to situations where the failure to pay exposes the entitled person—typically a child—to the risk of hardship. Failure to pay child support therefore does not automatically result in criminal liability. The legislature is thereby making it clear that criminal law should be a last resort and that most child support disputes should be resolved through civil proceedings.
For parents, this sends a twofold message: on the one hand, practical tools for actually obtaining child support are being expanded; on the other hand, however, the responsibility to address these situations promptly and proactively—rather than relying solely on filing criminal complaints—is being reinforced.
Starting in 2026, parental responsibility will be significantly clarified, primarily affecting methods of child-rearing. The new legislation explicitly prohibits corporal punishment of children, as well as causing mental distress and the use of other humiliating measures. While the previous legal framework relied on the vague concept of “reasonable disciplinary measures,” the new law removes this ambiguity and establishes a clear boundary.
The law thus responds to long-standing interpretive disputes over what still constitutes “upbringing” and what constitutes an impermissible infringement of a child’s rights. Under the new law, any form of corporal punishment is considered an infringement on the child’s human dignity, regardless of its intensity or the parent’s motivation. Equally unacceptable are systematic humiliation, threats, ridicule, or the creation of psychological pressure that may jeopardize the child’s healthy development.
It is important to emphasize that this change does not mean that parents will automatically be punished for every mistake they make in raising their children. This is not about introducing a new criminal offense or the blanket criminalization of families. The purpose of the amendment is primarily to clearly define the standard of child protection and to provide courts, social and legal protection authorities, and parents themselves with unambiguous guidance.
In extreme cases, where a parent fails to respect the prohibition and their conduct endangers the child’s physical or psychological development, the court may intervene—for example, by restricting or suspending the exercise of parental responsibility. The new legislation thus emphasizes prevention and the protection of the child, rather than sanctions, and reaffirms the trend that respect for the child’s dignity is the fundamental basis of modern family policy.
The year 2026 brings significant changes to unemployment benefits that will affect people who lose their jobs or decide to change jobs. The new legislation responds to the rising cost of living and the need to provide people with greater security while they are looking for new employment.
The most noticeable change, which will take effect as early as January, is an increase in benefits during the first months of unemployment. Benefits are set to rise significantly, particularly in the initial phase of unemployment, though the exact amount remains subject to statutory limits. It is expected that for people under 52, benefits in the first two months will reach up to 80% of their previous earnings, and for older job seekers, this will apply for an even longer period. In this way, the government is giving people greater financial leeway to bridge the period without work, without forcing them to accept just any job offer out of fear for their basic livelihood. The amount of benefits is always capped at a multiple of the average wage.
At the same time, the total duration of benefits is extended based on the job seeker’s age. Older people will thus have more time to look for employment that matches their experience and health status, rather than being pushed out of the labor market prematurely. Another significant change is the elimination of reduced benefits for voluntary resignation. Under the new rules, the amount of benefits is based on age rather than the reason for leaving employment, thereby removing the long-criticized “penalty” for resigning of one’s own volition.
Positive changes also apply to retraining programs, which are now supported by higher benefits and cover the days spent attending courses. Overall, the amendment strengthens the role of unemployment benefits as a tool for active re-entry into the labor market, rather than merely as temporary social assistance.
The year 2026 also brings important changes for people who care for children or dependent family members. Lawmakers are responding to the fact that caring for others often limits employment opportunities and, in the long term, has negative effects on future retirement benefits. The new legislation therefore seeks to better recognize this “invisible work, ” which the government has so far valued only to a limited extent.
A significant change is the introduction of a new substitute insurance period for people who personally care for a child under three years of age without being the child’s parent. Typically, this will apply to situations where a grandparent or other close relative takes on the care of a child, such as in the event of a parent’s death or a parent’s long-term serious illness. For pension insurance purposes, this period will be treated similarly to a parent’s care of a child, which is of fundamental importance for future pension eligibility.
This change is accompanied by an extension of the right to parental leave to these caregivers. Thus, parental leave will no longer be the exclusive domain of biological parents but may also apply in cases where actual care is provided by someone else based on an agreement and in accordance with legal conditions.
Another positive change is the increase in the care allowance for individuals in dependency levels I and II, for both children and adults. The specific amounts will be set by implementing regulations. The increase in these amounts is intended to at least partially reflect the rising costs of providing basic care and services. Overall, the 2026 reforms strengthen the position of caregivers and send a clear signal that caring for children and loved ones is a socially significant activity that must be better protected and supported.
How will the changes in the law affect everyday life? Above all, they will simplify certain family matters, adjust the options for enforcing child support, and change the conditions for financial assistance in the event of job loss or when caring for loved ones. Divorce proceedings are being simplified, the concept of child care is changing, and the state is clearly defining the limits of acceptable parenting by prohibiting corporal punishment. The new rules also affect child support—they expand the options for enforcing it while limiting the automatic application of criminal law. The emphasis is on faster, less confrontational, and more practical solutions to family situations.
At the same time, social protection in the areas of employment and care is being improved. Higher and longer-term unemployment benefits are intended to provide people with greater security while looking for a new job, while new substitute insurance periods and increased care allowances better reflect the importance of caring for children and dependent relatives. Overall, the legislative changes taking effect in 2026 strengthen protection for the vulnerable, promote responsible approaches to life situations, and seek to adapt the law to the realities of everyday life.
Our team of experienced attorneys will help you solve any legal issue. Within 24 hours we’ll evaluate your situation and suggest a step-by-step solution, including all costs. The price for this proposal is only CZK 690, and this is refunded to you when you order service from us.
The laws are often written in a complex way and are almost impossible for a layperson to understand. I try to explain them on our blog in a way that everyone can understand.
The laws are often written in a complex way and are almost impossible for a layperson to understand. I try to explain them on our blog in a way that everyone can understand.
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