Parental Allowance options

Parental Allowance helps families towards financial security after the birth of a child. You can choose from several Parental Allowance options: Basic Parental Allowance, Parental Allowance Plus and Partnership Bonus. 

Couples can split 14 months of Basic Parental Allowance, calculated from the date of birth, between themselves. Each parent can apply for between 2 and 12 months. Both parents can concurrently draw Basic Parental Allowance for one month. They must do so within 12 months of the child’s birth.

You can trade each month of Basic Parental Allowance for two months of Parental Allowance Plus. If you do so, you can receive Parental Allowance for twice as long. From the first month from the date of birth, you can combine Basic Parental Allowance and Parental Allowance Plus and so receive Parental Allowance concurrently with the other parent for more than one month. 

For example: a mother gets the Basic Parental Allowance during months 1 to 8 after her child’s birth. At the same time, the father draws Basic Parental Allowance in month 1 and Parental Allowance Plus in months 2 and 3. In months 7 to 9, both parents receive Parental Allowance Plus concurrently. Subsequently, only the father receives Parental Allowance Plus in months 10 to 15. This arrangement fully exhausts the parents’ claim to 14 months of Basic Parental Allowance.

Parental Allowance rates

If you receive Parental Allowance, the amount varies with your pre-birth income. In most cases, it is 65 percent of net income. Basic Parental Allowance varies between a minimum of 300 and a maximum of 1,800 euros per month. Amounts increase if you have another young child or multiple babies. 

If you do not return to work after your child’s birth, Parental Allowance Plus amounts to half the Basic Parental Allowance. Amounts vary between 150 and 900 euros per month. On the other hand, you can receive Parental Allowance Plus for twice as long as Basic Parental Allowance.

You can use the Elterngeldrechner to get a rough idea of how much Parental Allowance you might receive. 

Parental Allowance and part-time work

If you work part-time, you can additionally draw Parental Allowance.

You can work up to 32 hours per week while in receipt of Parental Allowance. If you work part-time after the birth, this affects the amount of Parental Allowance. This is because the Parental Allowance is calculated based on the difference between your income before and after the child’s birth. For parents who work part-time after their child’s birth, Parental Allowance Plus can be especially worthwhile. 

For example: Your pre-birth income was 2,000 euros net per month. After the birth, you return to work on a part-time basis and earn 1,200 euros net per month. This makes a difference in income of 800 euros per month. This amount is the basis for calculating the amount of Parental Allowance. In our example, Parental Allowance amounts to 65 percent of the income difference of 800 euros, i.e. 520 euros per month. 

In our example, the rate of Parental Allowance Plus is also 520 euros per month and so equals that of Basic Parental Allowance. However, it can be drawn for twice as long. So, if you opt for Parental Allowance Plus while working part time, you can receive as much as twice the amount you would choosing the Basic Parental Allowance. 

Partnership Bonus

Using the Partnership Bonus, you get between 2 and 4 extra months of Parental Allowance Plus.

You can work up to 32 hours per week while in receipt of Parental Allowance. If you and your partner concurrently work part-time between 24 and 32 hours a week, you get the Partnership Bonus. The bonus comprises 2, 3 or 4 additional Parental Allowance Plus months per parent. You are eligible for the Partnership Bonus even if you are a single parent working part time. 

You can combine Basic Parental Allowance, Parental Allowance Plus and the Partnership Bonus. For example: The mother gets Basic Parental Allowance during the first four months, starting on the date of the child's birth, the father receives it in months 5 and 6. Both parents receive Parental Allowance Plus in months 7 to 14 from the child’s date of birth. From months 15 to 18, they both work between 24 and 32 hours a week, taking advantage of the Partnership Bonus.

Apply for Parental Allowance

In many Federal Länder, you can apply for Parental Allowance online.

You can apply at a Parental Allowance Office called Elterngeldstelle. Please make sure this is the local Elterngeldstelle for your child’s place of residence. You can use this form to find your Elterngeldstelle.

In many Federal Länder, you can also apply for Parental Allowance online using the online service www.elterngeld-digital.de. The application assistant will take you through the application step by step, explain any technical terms and answer frequently asked questions.