How do you manage this financially? This question is probably on the minds of all expectant parents sooner or later. One of the supports available to you after birth is parental allowance. It at least partially compensates for the loss of income caused by caring for your baby. But who is entitled to parental allowance? What’s the deal with ElterngeldPlus? And how does the application process work? Even though dealing with these questions is certainly not the most exciting part of becoming a parent, it’s worth addressing them early on. We’ve summarized the most important information for you.

How much parental allowance do you receive?

Parental allowance is a benefit provided by the German government. It is intended to financially support parents during their baby's first year of life (and possibly beyond) and to compensate for the loss of income caused by caring for your baby.

Are you expecting Twins ? Then you may be eligible for a chance Multiple Births Surcharge . For twins, this means an additional 300 euros on top of the basic parental allowance, or 150 euros with ElterngeldPlus. For triplets, the supplement doubles, and for quadruplets, it triples.

How long do you receive parental allowance?

If only you or your partner receives parental allowance, you are entitled to 12 months . If you share childcare, the period extends to a total of 14 months . How you divide the months between you is up to you. The only rule is that one parent can claim at least two and at most twelve months. Otherwise, you can, for example, receive parental allowance simultaneously, consecutively, or alternately.

Even if you are a single parent , you are entitled to the full 14 months.

If your baby is born at least six weeks before the estimated due date, you can receive parental allowance for up to 18 months.

What is ElterngeldPlus?

If you want to return to work soon after childbirth, you can receive ElterngeldPlus. It allows you to combine parental leave and part-time work flexibly . You can work up to 32 hours per week and receive ElterngeldPlus twice as long as the basic parental allowance, but at half the amount. It therefore ranges between 150 euros and 900 euros per month.

Basic parental allowance and ElterngeldPlus can be combined in any way. This is especially interesting when one parent stays at home full-time during the first few months and then returns to part-time work. Talk with your partner to determine which combination is best for your situation. For example, the helpful Parenting allowance calculator on the family portal of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth can help. Here you can calculate the amount of parental allowance in various combinations and get an approximate guideline.

What is the partnership bonus?

In addition to ElterngeldPlus, you can receive a partnership bonus for up to four months , equal to the amount of ElterngeldPlus. The prerequisite is that both parents are involved in childcare and each works between 24 and 32 hours per week. This way, you can extend the benefit period to up to 28 months. The partnership bonus is also available to single parents.

Who is entitled to parental allowance?

All fathers and mothers who care for their child themselves after birth can apply for parental allowance. It does not matter whether you are employed or self-employed. Homemakers, students, trainees, and recipients of unemployment benefit I also have a right to the minimum amount. High earners (that is, for single parents, more than 250,000 euros taxable income; for parent couples combined, more than 300,000 euros taxable income) do not receive parental allowance.

Foster, step, and adoptive parents can also apply for parental allowance. Under certain circumstances, parental allowance can also be paid to relatives of the third degree, for example to Grandparents . This is especially possible when the parents are unable to care for their child themselves due to health reasons or other serious circumstances.

How do you apply for parental allowance?

The responsible authority for your parental allowance application is the respective parental allowance office . Depending on the federal state, it may be located at the Youth Welfare Office, the Social Services Office, or the Benefits Office. You can find out which office is responsible for you on the Federal Government Family Portal . At the parental allowance office, you can also receive comprehensive advice on which solution is most advantageous for you and your partner.

The application forms vary from state to state. Therefore, find out in good time which documents you’ll need. Usually, you can your apply for parental allowance before the birth . Other important documents, for example the Birth Certificate of your baby, can be submitted later. Since parental allowance is paid retroactively for a maximum of three months, it’s best not to wait too long after the birth.

Tips

• The government support offers you flexible options. To determine the most advantageous option for you, ask yourself how long you want to take a career break and how you and your partner want to share childcare.

• It’s best to seek advice early on about the due date . Take your time to carefully weigh the different options.

• Take care of the necessary documents in advance. Once your baby is born, you probably won’t want to deal with unnecessary bureaucratic procedures.

• Married partners can choose between several tax classes. If you and the mother/father of your baby are married, it’s worth changing your tax class in good time: the parent who will primarily care for the child later should be in tax class III at least seven months before the start of Maternity Protection . The tax class affects net income, and a higher net income has a positive impact on the amount of parental allowance. Changing it can sometimes mean several hundred euros more per month in parental allowance.

Parental allowance, ElterngeldPlus, or a combination of both? Find the flexible solution that works best for you, so you can later focus fully on your little explorer with peace of mind. If you’d like to learn more about your rights during pregnancy, check out our!