Everything about child benefit

In addition to the joy of pregnancy, quite often rational questions also arise in the preparations for your baby: “ and how do I pay for everything necessary?” for example. To prevent you from having to worry about this alone, we have compiled all the important information on the topic of child benefit here. Feel free to also check out our article on where you will find everything related to this topic.

What is child benefit?

Child benefit, also called child supplement, is a government benefit designed to support families. Child benefit is not a social welfare benefit, so it is initially available to all families with children and is independent of your income. It aims to ensure the child's basic monthly support. The amount of child benefit is the same for all families and depends only on the number of children.

Child benefit or child allowance?

You are entitled either to child benefit or to a child allowance, which is credited against your tax liability. When you submit your tax return and the "Anlage Kind" for each of your children, the tax office automatically checks which option is more advantageous for you—you do not need to make this decision yourself. You can find more information about this on the website of the .

Who is entitled to child benefit?

Every family living in Germany is entitled to child benefit from the birth of their first child. The child must live in the household of the parents or legal guardians. This can also include grandparents, step-parents, or foster parents. However, the child benefit is always paid to only one person, so you need to decide whether it should be paid to you or your partner. If you have multiple children, the child benefit is paid as a single combined amount.

How and where to apply for child benefit?

To receive child benefit, you always need to submit an application; it is not paid out automatically. You can find a form for this application at the family benefits office responsible for you. Which one that is depends on your place of residence. For the application, you will need your own tax number and your child's, as well as the of the child in the original. More information about this and a can be found on the . If you work in the public sector or are a civil servant, you submit the application through your employer or the responsible remuneration office. The child benefit is paid out once a month.

How much child benefit do you receive?

Child benefit is independent of income and depends on the number of children in the family:

• 219 euros per month are paid for the first and second child

• for the third child 235 euros per month

• for the fourth and each additional child €250 per month

When does the child benefit arrive?

When your child benefit is paid out depends on the last digit of your child benefit number. The payment dates are determined by the family benefits office and published annually. You can find the dates for 2021 and 2022 on the .

How long do you receive child benefit?

Basically, you receive child benefit for your child until they reach the age of majority, that is from birth until their 18th birthday. However, there are exceptions: For children who are undergoing training, studying, or completing an recognized federal voluntary service, you can receive child benefit until the age of 25. The same applies to children who cannot find an apprenticeship place. If your child has completed an apprenticeship but cannot find a job, they will continue to receive child benefit until the age of 21. If your child has a disability that prevents them from caring for themselves, you can receive child benefit beyond the age of 25. You can find more information about this on the .

We hope that this article has given you an initial overview and the most important answers on the topic of child benefits. Please remember that we cannot replace professional advice – if you have further questions, contact the appropriate office for you, where they will be happy to assist you.

We wish you a wonderful pregnancy and a great getting-to-know-you period!