What is Elterngeld and how does it differ from Kindergeld?
Elterngeld (parental benefit) and Kindergeld (child benefit) are two entirely separate benefits that run in parallel. Many expat parents discover one but not the other.
| Elterngeld | Kindergeld | |
|---|---|---|
| What it replaces | Lost income after birth | Nothing — it's a flat universal payment |
| Amount | 65–67% of prior net income (min €300, max €1,800/month) | €255/month flat |
| Duration | Up to 14 months (standard) | Until age 18 (or 25 in education) |
| Who receives | The parent taking leave | One parent |
| Application | Elterngeldstelle in your district | Familienkasse |
| Backdating | Max 3 months | Max 6 months |
You can receive both simultaneously — Elterngeld during the leave period, and Kindergeld continuing afterwards.
Elternzeit vs Elterngeld: These are also different. Elternzeit is the legal right to take parental leave (up to 3 years, job protected). Elterngeld is the financial benefit paid during that time. You need to claim Elterngeld separately — registering for Elternzeit with your employer does not automatically trigger Elterngeld payments.
How much Elterngeld will you get?
Elterngeld replaces 65–67% of your average net income in the 12 months before the birth (the reference period).
Income brackets and replacement rates:
- Net monthly income above €1,240: 65% replacement rate
- Net monthly income €1,200–€1,240: the rate increases gradually from 65% to 67%
- Net monthly income below €1,200: 67% replacement rate (to protect lower earners)
Minimum and maximum:
- Minimum: €300/month — even if you had no income before birth (e.g. you weren't working), you receive at least €300 per month
- Maximum: €1,800/month — even if your income would calculate to more (applies to high earners)
The reference period (12 months before birth): The Elterngeldstelle looks at your last 12 months of payslips before the month of birth. Months in which you received Mutterschaftsgeld (maternity pay, typically the last 6 weeks before and first 8 weeks after birth) are excluded from the calculation and replaced by earlier months.
Self-employed income: If you are self-employed, the Elterngeldstelle uses your last tax return (Einkommensteuerbescheid) instead of payslips. This creates a delay — if your most recent tax return is old, the calculation may use an older year's income. File your tax return promptly if you're self-employed and expecting.
Income above €300,000 combined (since April 2024): Couples with a combined annual taxable income above €300,000 (in the tax year two years before the birth) are no longer entitled to Elterngeld. This income cap applies per household, not per individual.
Quick estimate: For employed expats, a net monthly salary of ~€3,000 gives ~€1,950 calculated but capped at €1,800/month. A net monthly salary of €2,000 gives roughly €1,300/month. The official calculator at elterngeld-digital.de gives precise figures.
Who qualifies — EU citizens, non-EU permit holders
The requirements mirror those for Kindergeld:
You must:
- Have your primary residence or habitual abode in Germany (established by Anmeldung)
- Care for the child yourself (the child must live with you)
- Not work more than 32 hours per week during the Elterngeld period (see working part-time section)
EU/EEA citizens and Swiss nationals: Entitled on the same basis as German citizens — your Anmeldung is sufficient. No additional permit requirements.
Non-EU citizens: You are entitled if your residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) either:
- Allows you to work (Blue Card, skilled worker permit, ICT permit, etc.)
- Is not explicitly limited to a temporary or specific-purpose stay that excludes entitlement
Qualifying permits include:
- EU Blue Card ✅
- Skilled worker visa (§ 18a/b AufenthG) ✅
- Family reunion visa where the spouse has a qualifying permit ✅
- Permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis) ✅
- Settlement permit ✅
Generally NOT entitled:
- Student visa holders (§16b AufenthG) — unless they have also taken up qualifying employment
- Job-seeker visa holders (§20 AufenthG)
- Short-term/tourist stay
New arrival scenario: If you arrived in Germany during the reference year (12 months before birth), the Elterngeldstelle only considers your income during the months you were in Germany with a qualifying permit. Months before you arrived are treated as zero income (which may lower your calculated amount, but you still get at least €300/month).
Elterngeld, ElterngeldPlus, and Partnerschaftsbonus explained
You choose between two models, or mix them:
Basiselterngeld (standard Elterngeld):
- Up to 14 months total between both parents
- Each parent can take a minimum of 2 months, maximum of 12 months
- The 2 "partner months" are the extra 2 months available only if both parents take leave (if one parent takes all 14 months alone, they lose the partner months and get 12)
- Cannot be used by a single parent for more than 12 months
ElterngeldPlus:
- Pays half the Basiselterngeld amount per month, but for double the months
- Useful if you plan to work part-time (under 32h/week) — because part-time income reduces Basiselterngeld proportionally, but ElterngeldPlus is not reduced in the same way
- A single ElterngeldPlus month = 0.5 Basiselterngeld months of the 14-month budget
Partnerschaftsbonus:
- An additional 4 months (as ElterngeldPlus) if both parents work between 24–32 hours per week simultaneously during those months
- This gives families up to 4 extra months of ElterngeldPlus each, on top of the base 28 ElterngeldPlus months
- You must notify the Elterngeldstelle in advance and demonstrate the hours were actually worked
Example — common split for employed couple:
- Partner A: 2 months Basiselterngeld (full leave)
- Partner B: 12 months Basiselterngeld (full leave, covers the rest of the year)
- Total: 14 months covered, both received full replacement rate
Example — working part-time couple (ElterngeldPlus):
- Both parents work 24 hours per week for months 9–28 → 4 months Partnerschaftsbonus each
- Total benefit period: up to 32 months