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Parental allowance (Elterngeld) and Elterngeld Plus in Germany
Introduction
Parental allowance (Elterngeld) in Germany is a financial benefit provided by the government to support families after the birth of a child. The aim of this benefit is to compensate parents for the loss of income when one or both parents decide to reduce their working hours or temporarily stop working in order to care for their child. Elterngeld and Elterngeld Plus are designed to give families greater flexibility and to make it easier to balance work and childcare.
What is Elterngeld?
The basic parental allowance (Elterngeld) is granted to parents who reduce their working hours or stop working after the birth of their child. Parents can receive this benefit for a total of up to 14 months, and these months can be shared between the partners as they wish. To be eligible, parents must reduce their working time to a maximum of 30 hours per week.
Elterngeld Plus: more flexibility for families
Elterngeld Plus offers an additional option for families who wish to return to part-time work while still receiving support. Instead of receiving full Elterngeld for one month, the entitlement can be converted into Elterngeld Plus and spread over a longer period. In practical terms, one month of basic Elterngeld can be converted into two months of Elterngeld Plus at roughly half the monthly amount. This option is particularly useful for families who want to maintain a long-term balance between employment and childcare.
Partnership bonus (Partnerschaftsbonus)
The partnership bonus is granted to parents who both work part-time at the same time for at least four consecutive months. This bonus allows them to receive additional months of Elterngeld Plus, thereby providing extra financial support to families who share work and childcare responsibilities in a more equal and partnership-oriented way.
Duration of Elterngeld payments
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Basic Elterngeld: This is paid for up to 12 months per child. If both parents participate in childcare and share the months, the duration can be extended to 14 months, provided that each parent takes at least two months.
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Elterngeld Plus: With this option, families can extend the entitlement period to up to 24 months. In this case, parents receive roughly half of the monthly amount they would have received under the basic Elterngeld scheme. For example, if the basic Elterngeld would have been 1,200 euros per month, they can choose Elterngeld Plus and instead receive 600 euros per month for 24 months instead of 1,200 euros for 12 months.
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Partnership bonus: Parents who work part-time at the same time can receive up to 4 additional months of Elterngeld Plus each.
Recipients of Bürgergeld and their entitlement to Elterngeld
People who receive Bürgergeld (basic income support) can also receive Elterngeld. However, if the Elterngeld amount exceeds 300 euros per month, the portion exceeding 300 euros may be deducted from the Bürgergeld payment. If the person receives only the minimum Elterngeld amount (300 euros), it will generally not be counted against Bürgergeld and therefore does not reduce the Bürgergeld payment.
How the amount of Elterngeld is calculated
The amount of Elterngeld is calculated based on the parent’s income before the birth of the child. Between 65% and 100% of the previous average monthly net income is paid, with the monthly benefit ranging from a minimum of 300 euros to a maximum of 1,800 euros. The exact amount depends on how much income is lost because the parent reduces their working hours or stops working altogether.
How to apply for Elterngeld
Applications for Elterngeld are submitted via the relevant parental allowance office, often referred to as the Familienkasse or the local Elterngeldstelle. The application can usually be submitted in person or, depending on the federal state, online. It is important to apply in good time to ensure that payments start promptly and that there are no gaps in financial support.
Conclusion
Elterngeld and Elterngeld Plus provide flexible financial support for families in Germany, helping them cope with the financial challenges associated with raising children. Whether a parent wishes to stop working entirely or switch to part-time work, these benefits offer important financial protection and give families considerable flexibility when organizing their work and family life.
*The editorial team and authors of the website make every effort to provide accurate information by conducting thorough research and consulting multiple sources when preparing articles. Nevertheless, errors may occur or some information may be incomplete or not finally confirmed. For this reason, the information contained in the articles should be regarded as an initial reference only. For binding and up-to-date information, you should always contact the competent authorities and official bodies.
