Apply for parental allowance
Information about your parental allowance application
By Felix Böhme, Dipl.-Finanzwirt (FH), graduate in public finance Legal status checked on
In order to successfully apply for parental allowance, there are many things to consider. In the following, we clarify the most important questions:
Table of contents
Here are the most important facts if you want to apply for parental allowance:
- Parental allowance is applied for in writing on the application forms
- Normally both parents must sign the applications personally
- Documents can also be submitted later
- You have about three months to submit the applications
- The reference period can still be changed if necessary
- Processing takes a few weeks
- Parental allowance is paid in the course of each month of life of your child, often at its beginning (during the reference period)
When do I apply for parental allowance?
You can only send the parental allowance application to the responsible parental allowance office after the birth of your child. Only then will you know the required information about the child (date of birth, name, etc.) and only in the first few weeks after delivery will you receive the mandatory documents required for the parental allowance application (such as birth certificate, maternity leave certificate, employer certificates, etc.).
Parental allowance must be applied for in writing on the official parental allowance application forms.
Tip:
Fill out the application forms as much as possible before the birth and prepare them for mailing (envelopes and stamps). After the birth of your child, you have more important things to do.
Notice:
Both parents must regularly sign the application for parental allowance. This also applies if only one parent applies for parental allowance. Exceptions apply if you have sole custody or if you receive parental allowance alone under Section 4c BEEG – for example as a single parent within the meaning of parental allowance law or if care by the other parent is impossible. In this case, request a custody certificate from your youth welfare office and enclose it with the parental allowance application.
If you live or work outside Germany, you may also be entitled to parental allowance in Germany under certain conditions. For this purpose, you should then apply for foreign benefits comparable to the parental allowance together with the application for German parental allowance and submit proof of receipt or a refusal thereof. The parental allowance office will then check whether the foreign benefit is offset against the German parental allowance and whether any differences are granted. In our article Parental allowance for foreigners and border crossers you will find more information.
To print: After the birth: all applications and deadlines – a checklist to tick off, with a table of all benefits and a document folder (PDF, 2 pages).
What documents do I need for the parental allowance application?
The following documents must always be submitted:
- Birth certificate of the child with the purpose of use “for parental allowance” in the original
- from both parents: a copy of the identity card or passport and the current residence permit
- Approval or rejection notice for maternity leave payment from the statutory health insurance before and after childbirth, or for daily sickness benefit for privately insured persons.
- Proof of income for the assessment period (salary statements, profit statements, tax statements, etc.)
- Proof of parental leave granted by the employer
The following documents may also be required (list not exhaustive):
- Proof of employer allowance during maternity protection periods
- Proof of receipt of daily sickness benefits due to pregnancy-related illness plus medical certificate
- Approval and cancellation notices for income replacement benefits in the assessment period (ALG I, sickness benefit, insolvency benefit, short-time allowance, etc.)
- Parenting allowance notices for older siblings, if receipt extends into the assessment period for the baby
- Proof of child benefit payments for older siblings
- Proof (employer’s certificate) of income from non-self-employment during the period of receipt of parental allowance (so-called earnings certificate)
- Income forecast for the amount of earnings during the reference period (applies to self-employed persons)
- For children born outside Germany in a country of the European Union, a copy of the birth certificate is sufficient. If your child was born outside the EU, you may need a certified German translation of the birth certificate for the application.
Notice:
Employers may not refuse to hand over the documents required for the application (cf. § 9 BEEG). However, a reference to the duty to provide information is usually sufficient, otherwise the parental allowance office will write to the employer itself. The list contains the most important and most common proofs. In individual cases, especially in the case of self-employed persons and parents with mixed incomes, further evidence may have to be submitted. Our Parental Allowance Software will provide you with an individual list of the documents you need to submit after generating your parental allowance application. If you opt for a personal Parental allowance consulting we will of course let you know what evidence you should submit with it.
Are there any deadlines to observe when it comes to parental allowance?
There is no fixed deadline for the application. However, parental allowance is paid retroactively only for the last three months of the child’s life before the month of life in which the application is received. Basic parental allowance is available until the end of the 14th month of life (longer for premature births), ElterngeldPlus and the partnership bonus until the end of the 32nd month of life. In the case of adopted children or children taken in with the aim of adoption (so-called adoptive care), it is not the actual date of birth that is decisive when applying for parental allowance, but the date on which the household was established.
Parental allowance is only granted retroactively for the last three months of the child’s life before the beginning of the month in which the application is received by the parental allowance office. Since parental allowance is based on the respective months of the child’s life (not on calendar months), an application must therefore receive a stamp of receipt from the competent authority on the last day of the child’s 4th month of life at the latest in order for the entitlement to parental allowance to apply retroactively from the birth of the child. By the way, you can also send a fax within the deadline. Missing documents and information can also be submitted later.
Example: Birth on 05.03.2022 / application on 20.08.2022
The parental allowance application was received by the parental allowance office in the sixth month of the child’s life. Therefore, parental allowance can only be paid for the third, fourth and fifth months of the child’s life. For the first and second month of life, the application was thus submitted too late.
Example: Birth on 05.03.2022 / application on 29.06.2022
The parental allowance application was received by the parental allowance office in the fourth month of the child’s life. Therefore, parental allowance can be paid for the period of the first, second and third month of life. As the last date to receive parental allowance for the first month of life, in this example the application must be submitted by 04.07.2022 (last day in the fourth month of life).
Where do I send the parental allowance application?
The parental allowance offices are responsible for setting the parental allowance. Each federal state regulates independently how it administers parental allowance. As a rule, the counties and independent cities are responsible and have an office located in the youth or social welfare office. However, there are exceptions. In Baden-Württemberg, for example, only one agency is responsible: The state-owned state bank “L-Bank”. Here you will learn which Parental Allowance Office is responsible for you and how you can best reach them.
Can I also submit documents later?
Yes, if you have already received a file number, please include it. Many parental allowance offices also accept the subsequent submission of documents by e-mail.
How long does it take to receive my parental allowance?
Normally, the first payment must reach you no later than one month after your complete application has been received: according to the Federal guidelines on the BEEG, parental allowance must be received by the last working day of the month of life for which it is intended. As long as documents are missing, this period does not start. In practice processing times vary; submit your application completely and correctly. If you want your application to be correct and complete, we recommend you use our personal parental allowance consulting. Here you can benefit from our many years of experience.
What are the payment dates for parental allowance?
Parental allowance is paid in the course of the month of life for which it is intended (Section 6 BEEG); it must reach you by the last working day of that month of life at the latest. Many parental allowance offices pay at the beginning of the month of life; you will find the exact payment date in the notice or payment schedule.
Example:
The child was born on 05.03.2020. The parental allowance was set at the correct amount in the decision dated 20.04.2020. On 05.05.2020 (Tuesday), the claimant receives the parental allowance for the third month of life. Since 05.07.2020 is a Sunday, the payment of the parental allowance for the fifth month of life is postponed to 06.07.2020 (Monday). Payment in one sum or other payment modalities are not provided for.
Important notice:
Because parental allowance is paid in advance for the month of life, an income gap can quickly arise at the end of parental allowance receipt. If you receive parental allowance at the beginning of the 12th month of life and return to work at the beginning of the 13th month of life, you may have an income gap in between because wages are generally paid at the end of the month. Therefore, please keep an eye on your cash flow.
Can I change my parental allowance application (reference period) retrospectively?
You can change the selected months until the end of the benefit period – also retroactively for the last three months of the child’s life before the month in which your change request is received. Months for which parental allowance has already been paid can only be changed in cases of particular hardship, for example if the caring parent becomes seriously ill, severely disabled or dies; economic reasons only count if the family’s livelihood is specifically at risk. The same formal requirements apply to the change request as to the application (in writing to the parental allowance office). The parental allowance office decides on a case-by-case basis.
In addition, you can retroactively convert parental allowance plus months into basic parental allowance months. However, you cannot convert basic parental allowance months into parental allowance plus months. The Partnership bonus months you can apply independently, even later (if you meet the narrow requirements).
Notice:
Note for older cases: for parental allowance received in 2020/2021, a case of hardship within the meaning of Section 7 (2) sentence 3 BEEG could exist under the guidelines at the time if a Corona emergency aid payment significantly exceeded the income declared in the application. significantly exceeds the income that was plausibly declared when the application was made and a reduction in the amount of parental allowance compared to the provisionally approved amount is to be expected as a result (cf. guidelines 3.1.1.5.3 on Section 3 (1) BEEG).
A subsequent change of the reference period due to the inflow of a corona allowance is thus possible. At this point, it will make sense to create a gap month in the parental allowance reference period in the month of life of the inflow of the VAT-exempt but income taxable allowance (if possible).
Unfortunately, we have already had the experience that parental allowance offices do not implement the administrative instruction and thus accept a reduction of the parental allowance due to the emergency aid. Those affected should consider filing an objection or going to the social court.
Find your right parental allowance
Each state has its own application forms. Here you can find the applications for your federal states:
- Application for parental allowance Baden-Württemberg
- Application for parental allowance Bavaria
- Application for parental allowance Berlin
- Application for parental allowance Brandenburg
- Application for parental allowance Bremen
- Application for parental allowance Hamburg
- Application for parental allowance Hessen
- Application for parental allowance Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Application for parental allowance Lower Saxony
- Application for parental allowance North Rhine-Westphalia
- Application for parental allowance Rhineland-Palatinate
- Application for parental allowance Saarland
- Application for parental allowance Saxony
- Application for parental allowance Saxony-Anhalt
- Application for parental allowance Schleswig-Holstein
- Application for parental allowance Thuringia
FAQ
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How do I apply for parental allowance?
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Can I apply for parental allowance online?
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What documents do I need for the parental allowance application?
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Are there any deadlines to observe when it comes to parental allowance?
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How long does it take until I receive the parental allowance notice?
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