Kindergeld beantragen

• § 62 Einkommensteuergesetz (EStG) – Anspruchsberechtigte
• § 63 EStG – Kinder
• § 64 EStG – Zusammentreffen mehrerer Ansprüche
• § 66 EStG – Höhe des Kindergeldes, Zahlungszeitraum
• § 67 EStG – Antrag

If you have children of your own or children in your household, you can apply for child benefit.

Child benefit is transferred monthly and paid in the following amounts:

• eUR 255.00 for each child

The amount is only ever paid to one person. Parents can decide between themselves who should receive the child benefit for their children living in the same household by means of a so-called "beneficiary agreement". This stipulation can be revoked at any time, but only for the future.

Child supplement

If your income and assets allow you to cover your own needs (minimum subsistence level) but not those of your children, you can apply for a child supplement from the family benefits office.

• completed application form

for children under the age of 18:

• if your child is under 18, you usually only need to provide your tax identification number and that of your child

for children over the age of 18 (additionally):

• if applicable, documents such as school, training or study certificates and

for disabled children (additionally):

• Disability certificate or assessment notice from the district office, the district or the independent city or pension certificate

• Your place of residence or habitual abode is in Germany or
• You live abroad but have unlimited income tax liability in Germany or are treated as having unlimited income tax liability.

The following are taken into account as children

• children related to you in the first degree (natural and adopted children)
• Children of your spouse or civil partner (stepchildren) and grandchildren you have taken into your household
• Foster children with whom you are connected by a family-like, long-term relationship

The children must have their place of residence or habitual abode in a country of the European Union or the European Economic Area. Child benefit is paid up to the children's 18th birthday without any further requirements.

For children over the age of 18:

Children are entitled to child benefit until they reach the age of 21 if

• The child is unemployed or only has a mini-job and
• is registered as a jobseeker with an employment agency.

Up to the age of 25, children are taken into account if they

• are in vocational training,
• are in a transitional period of no more than four months between two periods of training or between a period of training and voluntary service,
• are unable to start or continue vocational training due to a lack of training places,
• are doing a voluntary social or ecological year, a European voluntary activity or a development policy voluntary service, a voluntary service of all generations, an international youth voluntary service or a federal voluntary service.

Exceptions:

If children are unable to support themselves due to a physical, mental or psychological disability, child benefit is generally paid without age limit if the disability occurred before the child reached the age of 25.

Gainful employment of the child

An adult child between the ages of 18 and 25 is taken into account - regardless of their own income and earnings - after completing their first vocational training or first degree programme, but only if they are not in gainful employment with more than 20 hours of regular weekly working hours. However, a training service relationship or a mini-job does not lead to restrictions.

none

• Use the application forms of the Federal Employment Agency(see -> Online application and forms and other offers)
• Submit the completed and signed application form with the necessary supporting documents to the above-mentioned office.

Payment: retroactive up to 6 months before application

Appeal (for child benefit under the Income Tax Act), objection (for child benefit under the Federal Child Benefit Act)