Parental allowance is a benefit for parents of infants and young children. It replaces part of the income you lose if you want to be there for your child after the birth and take a break from or reduce your professional work. Parental allowance is also available for parents who had no income before the birth.

There are three types of parental allowance:

• Basic parental allowance
• Parental allowance plus
• Partnership bonus

Parental allowance plus and the partnership bonus provide you with additional support if you share the work and family responsibilities after the birth of your child.

Even if you are a single parent, you can apply for the different types. Parental allowance is also available for adopted children and children in foster care.

As parents, you can decide for yourselves who will claim parental allowance and for how long. In your application, you must specify for which months of your child's life you wish to claim parental allowance and which parental allowance option you have chosen.

The amount of parental allowance is calculated individually. The calculation is based on the income you had before the birth and which you will no longer have after the birth. If you had no income before the birth or will not lose any income after the birth, you will receive a minimum amount. For basic parental allowance, this is at least EUR 300.00 per month. For Parental Allowance Plus, it is at least EUR 150.00 per month. 

Tip: You can use the parental allowance calculator provided by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs to help you plan and calculate your allowance. 

You can receive parental allowance if you meet the following requirements:

• You care for and raise your child yourself. 
• You are resident in Germany or usually stay here.
• You live with your child in the same household.
• You are either not employed at all or generally work no more than 32 hours per week.
  • There are several special cases regarding the 32-hour-per-week limit, for example, if you are on vacation or if you are studying or in training. 
• For births up to March 31, 2024: Your taxable income did not exceed EUR 250,000. For parents, the limit is usually EUR 300,000.
• For births on or after April 1, 2024: Your taxable income did not exceed EUR 200,000. This limit applies to single parents and parents.
• For births on or after April 1, 2025: Your taxable income did not exceed EUR 175,000. This limit applies to single parents and parents.    

• Appeal
  Further information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in your parental allowance notification.
• Action before the social court

You can only apply for parental allowance after the birth.

It is best to submit the application within the first 3 months of your child's life, as parental allowance is paid retroactively for a maximum of 3 months.

Due to staff shortages at the parental allowance office, processing times are currently longer than usual.

Your application can only be processed promptly if all the required documents are submitted in full.
We kindly ask you to refrain from inquiring about the status of your application. We will contact you if anything is unclear or if any documents are missing.

• Application form
• Child's birth certificate (in exceptional cases, another suitable document may be accepted)

Additional documents, if applicable:

• Identity card or residence permit
• Proof of recognition or determination of paternity
• Proof of earned income during the assessment period
• Declaration of expected earned income during the reference period
• Certificate from the health insurance fund regarding maternity pay and certificate from the employer regarding the maternity pay supplement
• Other proof of income during the reference period

The type and scope of the documents may vary depending on your individual situation. There may also be differences between the various parental allowance offices. Therefore, please check your application documents for further information. If you have any questions, you can contact your local parental allowance office.

There are no costs involved.