Money Matters in Germany - Kindergeld

Expat's Talk 💬 Europe
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If you are living in Germany with children, here’s one more reason to smile :slight_smile: : You are entitled to Kindergeld, a monthly monetary benefit to help with the costs of raising a child.

![finanzminister-scholz-will-familien-entlasten-20-milliarden-durch-mehr-kindergeld-und-weniger-abgaben%5B1%5D|690x388, 75%](upload://yJzu89imojhaqtBhEKFcoMCNQYJ.jpeg)

Who is eligible?

Either parent is eligible to receive this amount until the child is 18, and in the below cases until the child is 25.

  • If your child is unemployed and registered as a job-seeker with an Employment Agency.
  • If your child is in education or training.
  • If your child is in education and has a part-time job in addition.
  • If your child has a disability and cannot support themselves (no age limit).

How much do I get?

The Kindergeld or child benefit is provided by the Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse) at the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur fur arbeit). As of today, the amount received is based on the number of children you have:

  • 204 euros for the first two children
  • 210 euros for the third child
  • 235 euros for the fourth and each additional child

Well, I guess then, it’s going to be “More the Merrier” for a few :wink:

How to apply?

To apply, you will need to fill in the application form and submit it to your local Family Benefits Office. The form is available here and requires tax ID and bank details among others. In addition, you may need to submit the below mentioned documents too:

  • Passport copies of both parents
  • Residence permit copies of parents and child
  • Birth Certificate of child

Single parent? Foster parent? Fret not…You are still entitled to Kindergeld. However note that only one parent can claim the benefit. Also note that the Family Benefits office needs to be informed in case of any changes from that mentioned in the application. This holds good in case you or your child leave the country too.

Still have questions? You can go through the English language Child Benefit Leaflet.

From Experience!

  • It is possible to send the application form via post to your local family benefits office.
  • You can also apply directly online. However, since you are an expat, you will need to send copies of the aforementioned documents, which will be ultimately required by post.
  • It takes about 2-6 weeks to receive a from the Family Benefits office, after which the Kindergeld will be deposited monthly in your given bank account.
  • The Kindergeld amount may increase by a few euros per child each year. The next increase is scheduled for 1 January 2021 by 15 euros.
    Payment dates are determined by your child benefit number. Click here for the payment dates.
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Came across the term Kinderzuschlag or child supplement and wondering if you can benefit more?

Kinderzuschlag is an additional allowance paid along with the Kindergeld to families on low incomes. To be eligible you need to fit into additional criteria. However, to begin with you should fall into either of the below mentioned 2 categories:

  1. You come from the European Union (EU), are a citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA) or of Switzerland.
  2. You belong to the group of persons who have been incontestably recognised as entitled to asylum.

Since you are reading this here on iAbroad, I have a feeling you are Indian and don’t fall into the first category; and I sure hope that no one falls into the second. So let’s just leave this for another time. However, if you want to know more, stop by here.

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Visit the below mentioned sites for further details.

Federal Benefits Office
Kindergeld.org

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