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Parental allowance supports parents, who work less or cease working after their child’s birth to care for him or her. All mothers and fathers are eligible for parental allowance. You can work up to 32 hours per week while in receipt of parental allowance. It is also possible for you not to work. You do not have to interrupt your studies or training to qualify for parental allowance.

You can apply for parental allowance either alone or jointly with the other parent. There are three types of parental allowance: Basic parental allowance, parental allowance plus and partnership bonus.

You are awarded the basic parental allowance for a minimum of two months and up to 12 months of your child’s life if only one parent takes up parental allowance. If both of you take up parental allowance, between you, you can draw it for 14 months of your child’s life. If your child was born at least six weeks early, you can draw parental allowance for longer. Depending on how early your child was born, you can get parental allowance for up to 18 months of their life. You can freely split the months you receive parental allowance between you. You may draw the basic parental allowance concurrently, sequentially or alternately. You also get the additional two months if you are a single parent.

Depending on your income before your child’s birth, basic parental allowance rates vary between 300 and 1800 euros per month. In most cases, they are 65 percent of the net income. Low-income parents receive up to 100 percent of their net income. If you work part-time while drawing parental allowance, this affects the latter’s amount. Your income after your child’s birth will be factored in. If you had no income before your child’s birth, you can get the minimum amount. If you have other small children or will have twins, you can get higher rates.

For example: a mother gets the basic parental allowance during months one to eight after her child’s birth. Subsequently, the father gets the basic parental allowance from the child's ninth to its 14th month. This fully exhausts the parents’ claim to 14 months of basic parental allowance.

With parental allowance plus, you can extend your period of receipt. You can receive parental allowance plus for twice as long as basic parental allowance. If you decide not to work after your child’s birth, parental allowance plus amounts to half the basic parental allowance. If you work part-time after your child’s birth, parental allowance plus can be especially worthwhile, since you often get the same or almost the same amount as with the basic parental allowance, but for a longer period of time. This way, you can get more parental allowance than you would by working part-time and drawing the basic parental allowance. Parental allowance plus ranges between 150 and 900 euros per month.

You can freely combine basic parental allowance with parental allowance plus. Parents who decide to share their family and work duties as equal partners can get the partnership bonus. Specifically, you can get more months of parental allowance plus if both of you work part-time simultaneously. If you are a single parent, it suffices if you alone meet the requirements. You can flexibly take up the partnership bonus to suit your needs: For two, three or four months. You can extend or shorten it at any time. You can use it, when it suits you best: Before, in between or after receiving basic parental allowance and parental allowance plus.

For instance, it might work as follows: The mother gets basic parental allowance during the first four months after birth, the father during the months five and six. Both parents receive parental allowance plus in months seven to 14 of the child’s life. From months 15 to 18 they both work between 24 and 32 hours a week, taking advantage of the partnership bonus. You can use the online Parental Allowance Calculator to get a first idea of how much parental allowance you might receive.

The Parental Allowance Calculator and further information can be found at www.familienportal.de. You can apply for parental allowance in writing at your local parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle). With the new and free ElterngeldDigital application assistant, you can also –depending on the Federal Land you live in – omplete and directly submit the parental allowance application online at www.elterngeld-digital.de.

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All families receive child benefit (Kindergeld), regardless of their income. It is generally paid for all children up to the age of 18. If your child is unemployed, child benefit is paid until they turn 21. If your child is undertaking vocational training, you will receive child benefit until they reach the age of 25.

You must submit your child benefit application in writing. The agency responsible is normally the Federal Employment Agency’s Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse).

The monthly child benefit rate is 219 euros each for the first and second children, 225 euros for the third and 250 euros for each additional child. Under certain circumstances, child benefit can also be paid for children who are foreign nationals.

Further detailed information on the individual benefits and assistance available can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and the Familienportal. You can also use the online tool provided by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. This allows you to enter a few details and find out which family benefits you may be eligible to receive.

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The child supplement is paid to parents who would earn enough for just themselves, but whose income is not or is only barely enough to cover all the family’s needs. The child supplement amounts to a maximum of 229 euros per month per child. It is paid for each unmarried child under 25 years of age if the following conditions are met: You receive child benefit for the child concerned. Your income does not fall below a certain minimum income threshold. This minimum gross income threshold is 900 euros for couples and 600 euros for single parents.

Additionally, you may also be eligible to receive the child supplement if the total amount of income from gainful employment, the child supplement and housing allowance is no more than 100 euros below the entitlement threshold according to the Social Code II (SGB II). Your children’s income, for instance child maintenance or advance maintenance payments, is only counted toward the child supplement to 45 percent. It is also worth applying if you are a single parent and are on a low income.

In addition to the child supplement, you can also receive education and participation benefits, such as free communal lunch at school and in child daycare facilities as well as a school supplies package amounting to 156 euros.

Moreover, recipients of the child supplement or housing benefit are exempt from child daycare fees. Applications for child supplement are to be made in writing, to the Federal Employment Agency’s Family Benefits Office. You may also check whether you are eligible for the child supplement by using the KiZ-Lotse of the Family Benefits Office. Visit www.kiz-digital.de to complete your application online.

Further details on the individual benefits and services are also available in the Familienportal (Family Portal) of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. Please also use the online info tool of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. By providing a few details, you can find out which family benefits you may be eligible to receive. 

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Jasmin is expecting a baby – a little miracle. The pregnancy, birth and Paul’s first months are a very special time in her life. During that period, Jasmin and her child need special protection, protection for working mothers. It protects the health of Paul and Jasmin during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Furthermore, it enables Jasmin to carry on working before and after the statutory period of maternity leave and gives her special protection against dismissal. What is more, it safeguards her income during the time that she is not allowed to work. Students, schoolgirls and those taking part in the Federal Voluntary Service are also entitled to this protection.

Especially during the first three months of pregnancy, pregnant women and their unborn children face risks. The earlier Jasmin informs her employer of her pregnancy, the easier it is for them to ensure effective protection. Situations, materials or objects which pose a risk to the health of Jasmin or Paul must be avoided/removed by her employer. A risk assessment therefore has to be carried out in advance to identify hazards.

In a personal conversation, Jasmin and her employer can ensure that she has the right working conditions during her pregnancy. She is entitled to such a conversation. If Jasmin is not allowed to perform certain tasks on health grounds, she can get a certificate from her doctor. Before she is prohibited from working, Jasmin’s employer must examine whether her working conditions can be adapted to comply with the regulations for working mothers. Alternatively, Jasmin can perhaps continue to work in another work environment.

Questions on the protection for working mothers can also be answered by the supervisory body responsible for the company. If Jasmin’s employer cannot eliminate risks to the health of Jasmin or Paul by taking precautionary measures, then she is not allowed to work there. However, she should only be prohibited from working to the extent necessary to protect her health and that of Paul. A ban can be limited to certain activities or working hours.

The period during which Jasmin no longer has to work begins six weeks before the estimated due date. This due date is determined by a doctor or midwife. If little Paul is born earlier than expected, Jasmin’s maternity protection is extended by the number of days of leave not taken before the birth. Because Jasmin has statutory health insurance, she receives maternity benefit (Mutterschaftsgeld) and a top-up payment from her employer (Arbeitgeberzuschuss) during the statutory period of maternity leave. Taken together, these benefits usually equal average earnings during the last three months before the birth. If Jasmin wants, she can continue working during the six weeks leading up to the birth.

After the birth, however, there is a period of eight weeks during which she is not allowed to work. In certain cases, for example multiple or premature births, mothers are not permitted to work for 12 weeks after the birth. During this time, too, a mother receives maternity benefit and a top-up payment from her employer. In the case of a child with a disability, the mother can apply to extend post-natal leave to up to 12 weeks. Under statutory health insurance, Jasmin is entitled to midwifery care. Furthermore, after the statutory period of maternity leave, she can receive parental allowance and take parental leave.

Even after returning to her company, Jasmin’s workplace must comply with the regulations under the Act on the Protection of Working Mothers. If she breastfeeds little Paul, her employer must adapt her working conditions so that Jasmin and Paul’s health is not put at risk. If that is not possible, Jasmin must be released from work and instead receives maternity pay (Mutterschutzlohn). Up until Paul’s first birthday, Jasmin is also entitled to paid breaks to breastfeed him. You can find more useful information in our brochure (Leitfaden zum Mutterschutz).

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A maintenance advance (Unterhaltsvorschuss) is provided if your child is not receiving maintenance payments. It is paid until the child’s 18th birthday at the latest. The monthly advance is 177 euros per month for children up to the age of 5 and 236 euros for children aged 6 to 11. The single parent’s income is irrelevant in this context.

Children aged 12 to 17 are entitled to a maintenance advance if they are not dependent on benefits under Book II of the Social Code, or you as a single parent have gross monthly earnings of at least 600 euros while receiving such benefits. If these conditions are met, you will receive a monthly maintenance advance of 314 euros.

Applications for a maintenance advance must be submitted in writing, normally to the local youth welfare office (Jugendamt). In certain circumstances, children who are foreign nationals can also receive a maintenance advance.

Further detailed information on the individual benefits and assistance available can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and the Familienportal. You can also use the online tool provided by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. This allows you to enter a few details and find out which family benefits you may be eligible to receive.

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Income is untaxable up to a child’s minimum subsistence level and this principle is ensured either through child benefit or tax allowances for children (Freibeträge für Kinder). Until a child turns 18, all parents are entitled to child allowances without conditions. After the child’s 18th birthday, the allowances may under certain circumstances continue until the child turns 25, for example if your child is undertaking vocational training. The tax-free child allowance is 5,172 euros for 2020. For 2021, it will be 5,460 euros. Each parent is entitled to half of this amount. Single parents, under certain circumstances, are entitled to the full child allowance.

There is also an additional tax allowance for childcare, education or vocational training needs. This allowance amounts to 2,640 euros for 2020. From 1 January 2021, it will be 2,928 euros. Once again, both parents are generally entitled to half of this amount. If you are bringing up a minor on your own, you can apply to have the other parent’s share transferred to you.

Granting the tax allowances for children lies within the responsibility of the tax office. When assessing income tax, it checks which option is most favorable. If child benefit amounts to less than the tax relief provided by the tax allowances for children, these allowances, less the child benefit you have already received, are deducted from your taxable income.

Further detailed information on the individual benefits and assistance available can be found on the websites of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and the Familienportal (family portal). Please also use the online info tool of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. By entering a few details, you can find out which family benefits you may be eligible to receive.

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Single parents receive special treatment with regard to income tax. They benefit from the tax relief for single parents. This constitutes an additional tax allowance of 4,008 euros per year. Starting with the second child, the amount of tax relief increases by 240 euros for each additional child.

The tax relief is automatically applied via filing status II, the tax filing status for single parents. The increases for further children are, upon request, added to your wage-tax card as a tax allowance by the local Tax Office. If the tax allowance was not taken into account in the income tax deduction, tax relief is granted via the income tax return.

Further detailed information on the individual benefits and assistance available can be found on the websites of the Ministry for Family Affairs and the Familienportal (family portal).

Please also use the online info tool of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. By entering a few details, you can find out which family benefits you may be eligible to receive.