Elterngeld — Parental Benefit

Elterngeld (parental benefit) replaces 65-100% of your net income during parental leave, minimum €300, maximum €1,800 per month [1]. Standard duration is 12 months for one parent plus 2 months if the second parent also takes leave (up to 14 months per family) [2].

Types of Elterngeld

Type	Duration	Amount
Basiselterngeld	Up to 12+2 months	65–100% of net
ElterngeldPlus	Up to 24+4 months	Half of Basis
Partnerschaftsbonus	+4 months	Half of Basis

How to Calculate the Amount

The amount of Basiselterngeld depends on your average net income for the 12 months before the child's birth [3].

Net Income	Replacement Rate
Up to €1,000	Up to 100%
€1,000–1,200	67%
Above €1,200	65%

Minimum: €300/month (even without income) [1] Maximum: €1,800/month [1]

12+2 Months — How It Works

• 12 months received by one parent
• +2 months family receives if the second parent also takes Elterngeld for at least 2 months

Maximum per family — 14 months Basiselterngeld [2].

ElterngeldPlus — Stretching Payments

Instead of the full Basiselterngeld amount, you can receive half for twice as long [4].

When beneficial:

• Planning to work part-time during leave
• Want to stretch payments over a longer period
• Part-time income doesn't exceed half of previous income

Example: 12 months Basiselterngeld = 24 months ElterngeldPlus

How to Apply

1. Submit application to Elterngeldstelle of your federal state after the child's birth
2. Attach documents:
   • Birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde)
   • Income statements for 12 months before birth
   • Maternity benefit certificate (Bescheinigung über Mutterschaftsgeld), if received

Application deadline: within 3 months of birth for full retroactive payment. Applications submitted later are paid only from the month of application [5].

Optimization via Steuerklasse

Tax Class Change

Elterngeld is calculated from net income. If the parent who will take Elterngeld switches Steuerklasse (tax class) to III at least 7 months before the start of Mutterschutz (maternity protection), net income increases — and so does Elterngeld [6].

Mechanics: Steuerklasse III reduces tax withholding from salary → higher net → higher calculation base for Elterngeld.

Important:

• Class change must occur at least 7 months before Mutterschutz starts [6]
• At year-end with joint tax return (Zusammenveranlagung) taxes are recalculated — overpayment will be refunded
• The second spouse moves to class V (higher withholding), but this is compensated in annual settlement

Income Restrictions

From April 2025: families with combined income over €175,000 per year are not entitled to Elterngeld [7].

From April 2024 to March 2025, the threshold was €200,000/year. Before April 2024, the limits were €300,000 for couples and €250,000 for single parents [7].

What counts as income: Combined taxable income of both parents in the year preceding the child's birth.

FAQ

Not legal or financial advice.

I just arrived in Germany and got pregnant. Am I eligible for Elterngeld?

Elterngeld is available to anyone legally residing in Germany with a residence permit that allows employment (Erwerbstätigkeit). EU citizens qualify automatically. For third-country nationals: Blue Card, work visa, spousal residence permit — all grant Elterngeld eligibility. Aufenthaltsgestattung (asylum seeker status) and Duldung (temporary tolerated stay) — generally no, except under specific conditions (§ 1 Abs. 7 BEEG) [2]. If you did not work in Germany before the child's birth, you receive the minimum of €300/month [1]. If you worked — the calculation is based on your net income for the 12 months before birth.

Can I work part-time while receiving Elterngeld?

Yes, but no more than 32 hours per week (since September 2021; previously 30 hours). Part-time income reduces Elterngeld — calculation: 65% of the difference between previous net and current part-time net. Example: previous net €2,500, part-time net €1,000 → Elterngeld = 65% × (€2,500 − €1,000) = €975. ElterngeldPlus can be more advantageous with part-time work: smaller payments but twice as long, and part-time income reduces the benefit less. The calculation is individual — the calculator at familienportal.de shows exact amounts.

My husband is self-employed (Selbstständiger). How is his Elterngeld calculated?

For self-employed individuals, the calculation period is not the 12 months before birth but the last completed tax year (Steuerbescheid/tax assessment). The calculation basis is profit (Gewinn) for that year divided by 12. If profit varies year to year, a different year can be requested under certain conditions. Self-employed individuals cannot optimize via Steuerklasse (tax class) but can: (1) file Steuererklärung (tax return) for the previous year before the child's birth to lock in higher income; (2) plan major expenses after the calculation period. The minimum of €300/month is guaranteed even with zero profit [1].

We missed the 3-month filing deadline. Is the money lost?

Not entirely. Elterngeld is paid retroactively for a maximum of 3 months before the application date [5]. If the child is 5 months old and you apply now — you receive payments from month 2 (3 months back), but month 1's payment is lost. If the child is already 14 months old — you receive payments for months 11–14, and months 1–10 are lost permanently. File in the first weeks after birth to avoid losing months. Documents can be submitted later — the key is to register the application.

Can the father take the 2 partner months non-consecutively?

Yes. Basiselterngeld can be distributed flexibly across months of the child's life — they don't need to be consecutive. The father can take month 3 and month 12, the mother months 1–2 and 4–11. Limitation: Basiselterngeld can only be received in the first 14 months of the child's life [2]. ElterngeldPlus can extend up to 32 months. Partnerschaftsbonus (4 additional months) requires both parents to work 24–32 hours per week simultaneously — this can be used in any 4 consecutive months. The distribution plan is specified in the application and can be changed later.

Sources

1. Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ) — "Elterngeld and ElterngeldPlus: The Essentials" https://www.bmfsfj.de/bmfsfj/themen/familie/familienleistungen/elterngeld/elterngeld-und-elterngeldplus-das-wichtigste-im-ueberblick-73752

2. Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetz (BEEG), § 4 para. 2–3 — Legal basis for duration and allocation of Elterngeld https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/beeg/

3. BMFSFJ — "Elterngeld: Amount, Calculation and Duration" https://familienportal.de/familienportal/familienleistungen/elterngeld

4. BMFSFJ — "ElterngeldPlus: Flexible Elterngeld Receipt" https://www.bmfsfj.de/bmfsfj/themen/familie/familienleistungen/elterngeld/elterngeldplus-und-partnerschaftsbonus

5. BEEG, § 7 para. 1 — Application deadlines and retroactive payment https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/beeg/__7.html

6. Finanztest / Stiftung Warentest — "Optimizing Elterngeld Through Tax Class Change" https://www.test.de/Elterngeld-Hoehe-Antrag-Dauer-1137195-0/

7. Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetz (BEEG), § 1 para. 8 — Income limit for Elterngeld from April 2024 https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/beeg/__1.html