Child benefit payment
You receive child benefit from birth until (at least) your child reaches the age of 18.
Child benefit will be paid monthly from 01.01.2021 in the following amount:
- for the first two children EUR 219.00 each,
- for the third child EUR 225,00 Euro and
- for each additional child EUR 250,00 Euro.
Child benefit for children over the age of 18:
Since 2012, the income check for adult children under the age of 25 has been omitted for child benefit. Child benefit is granted regardless of income.
Child benefit for a child over 18 years of age can continue to be paid from January 2007 at the latest until the age of 25. This applied for the first time to children born after 01.01.1983. Children who are in education (school, vocational training or university studies) generally receive child benefit until they reach the age of 25.
For a disabled child, child benefit continues to be paid beyond the age of 25 without age limit, provided that the disability already existed before the age of 25.
Married children are only entitled to child benefit if the spouse is unable to support the child.
Who should I contact?
The responsibility lies with the family funds of the Federal Employment Agency.
As a member or member of the public service, responsibility may also lie with the remuneration office of your employer.
Responsible authorities
Bundesagentur für Arbeit
Requirements
- Germans according to Article 116 of the Basic Law (GG)
- Residence in Germany or abroad if you are subject to unlimited income tax in Germany
- Foreign persons living in Germany can receive child benefit if they have a valid settlement permit.
- Certain residence permits may also be entitled to family allowances.
The conditions for child benefit in detail are that
- the child is under the age of 18 (under certain conditions, child benefit for adult children can also be applied for and received),
- the child is regularly cared for by the beneficiary and lives in his or her household (this also applies to stepchildren, grandchildren or foster children) and
- the place of residence is in Germany, another EU country, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Switzerland. You can find out more on the page Child benefit for people in or from abroad.
Applications / forms
Child benefit is granted only upon written application.
Child benefit applications and notifications of change can also be conveniently transmitted via the child benefit online service of the family fund.
Which documents are required?
Documents are required. Which documents (e.g. birth certificate, proof of schooling/vocational training of the child, severely disabled person's pass) must be attached to the child benefit application depends on the individual case. Please contact the competent authority.
From 1 January 2016, entitlement to child benefit requires that the identification number of the beneficiary and the child be communicated to the competent authority.
What are the fees?
There are no fees.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
Deadlines may have to be observed. Please contact the competent authority.
Due to the payment restriction of § 70 Abs. 1 S. 2 EStG, child benefit can be paid retroactively for up to 6 months from the date of application. The receipt of the application by the Familienkasse is decisive.
What else should I know?
Child benefit is paid to the person in whose household the child is present. If the child lives with both parents, they can determine which of them should receive the child benefit. The competent authority checks at certain intervals whether the conditions for entitlement to child benefit are still met and whether the child benefit is paid in the correct amount.
Further information such as information sheets, application forms and contact persons on site can be found on the Internet on the website of the Federal Employment Agency.
The service telephone of the Familienkasse is available free of charge from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. under the following number: 0800 4 5555 30
Announcements on the payment dates for child benefit and child supplement are available around the clock under the toll-free number: 0800 4 5555 33
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
