This article has been written in collaboration with Elodie Roux Heineck, founder of Baby in Berlin , a family care and concierge service for expat families living in Germany.
Kindergeld is something every parent living in Berlin should know about. It's money, for you, for free, for every child you have, regardless of your income. Here's the lowdown:
Kindergeld is something every parent living in Berlin should know about. It's money, for you, for free, for every child you have, regardless of your income. Here's the lowdown:
What is Kindergeld? Kindergeld is a 'children's allowance'. The monthly sum (detailed below) is paid to one parent until the child turns 18. For children who are still in education after the age of 18 (e.g. an apprenticeship or university), Kindergeld will be paid until they turn 25 as long as the child’s income does not exceed €7680 annually. Kindergeld will also be paid until age 21 for unemployed children and for an unlimited period of time if the child is unable to earn an income due to a disability. So long as the child lives with their parents, Kindergeld will be paid directly to one parent. If the child moves away from home after age 18, the Kindergeld will be paid directly to the child.
Who is eligible for children’s allowance in Germany? All German children living in Germany are eligible for children’s allowance. Non-German children living in Germany are also eligible if they have a valid residence permit. In some cases, also children who do not live in Germany are entitlement to Kindergeld, for example if one or both of their parents lives and works in Germany and the country in which the child lives does not have a similar benefit (or a similar benefit but at lower value, in which case the entitlement will be based on the difference between Kindergeld and the residence country of the child).
How & when do I apply for Kindergeld? You must apply for Kindergeld by sending a completed application to the Familienkasse* of the city in which you live. It is advisable to fill in as much of the form as possible before the birth of your baby, leaving just the baby's name (if unsure), date of birth and child’s tax ID (which you will automatically get in the post) blank to fill in post-birth.
Once your application has been processed, you will receive written confirmation of the decision of the Familienkasse whether you are eligible or not. Please be aware that confirmation can take a while to come through. If you are applying for Kindergeld and already have one or more children who is receiving it, you don't need to apply fully all over again. Instead, you can fill in a form called ''Veränderungsmitteilung'' (form KG45) which you can find here.
How much Kindergeld will I receive? You receive €194 per child per month for the first two children, €200 for the third child and €225 fourth onwards (Kindergeld will be increased across the board by 10€ per child on July 1st 2019).
How will the money be paid?
The Kindergeld will be paid directly into the bank account of one parent (you decide which parent will receive the payment). The date on which the money will be transferred to your account depends on your Kindergeld number, which you receive once your application has been processed. For example, if your Kindergeld number is 115FK154720 (last digit 0) the money will be paid at the beginning of the month, if it is 735FK124619 (last digit 9) it will be paid at the end of the month.
The Kindergeld forms can be found here. Some of the form can now be found in English. Look for "…in anderen Sprachen" and you may be able to find an English translation. You will need to send:
All applications for Kindergeld by Berlin residents must now be sent to the following address:
Familienkasse Berlin – Brandenburg
14465 Potsdam
This article was written in collaboration with Elodie Roux Heineck, owner of Baby in Berlin. Baby in Berlin offers family care and concierge services to expat families in Germany. Elodie can assist in filling in your Elterngeld application or explain the parental leave system and your entitlements as per your specific situation. Feel free to contact her here.
Who is eligible for children’s allowance in Germany? All German children living in Germany are eligible for children’s allowance. Non-German children living in Germany are also eligible if they have a valid residence permit. In some cases, also children who do not live in Germany are entitlement to Kindergeld, for example if one or both of their parents lives and works in Germany and the country in which the child lives does not have a similar benefit (or a similar benefit but at lower value, in which case the entitlement will be based on the difference between Kindergeld and the residence country of the child).
How & when do I apply for Kindergeld? You must apply for Kindergeld by sending a completed application to the Familienkasse* of the city in which you live. It is advisable to fill in as much of the form as possible before the birth of your baby, leaving just the baby's name (if unsure), date of birth and child’s tax ID (which you will automatically get in the post) blank to fill in post-birth.
Once your application has been processed, you will receive written confirmation of the decision of the Familienkasse whether you are eligible or not. Please be aware that confirmation can take a while to come through. If you are applying for Kindergeld and already have one or more children who is receiving it, you don't need to apply fully all over again. Instead, you can fill in a form called ''Veränderungsmitteilung'' (form KG45) which you can find here.
How much Kindergeld will I receive? You receive €194 per child per month for the first two children, €200 for the third child and €225 fourth onwards (Kindergeld will be increased across the board by 10€ per child on July 1st 2019).
How will the money be paid?
The Kindergeld will be paid directly into the bank account of one parent (you decide which parent will receive the payment). The date on which the money will be transferred to your account depends on your Kindergeld number, which you receive once your application has been processed. For example, if your Kindergeld number is 115FK154720 (last digit 0) the money will be paid at the beginning of the month, if it is 735FK124619 (last digit 9) it will be paid at the end of the month.
The Kindergeld forms can be found here. Some of the form can now be found in English. Look for "…in anderen Sprachen" and you may be able to find an English translation. You will need to send:
- Antrag auf Kindergeld signed by both parents
- Anlage Kind
All applications for Kindergeld by Berlin residents must now be sent to the following address:
Familienkasse Berlin – Brandenburg
14465 Potsdam
This article was written in collaboration with Elodie Roux Heineck, owner of Baby in Berlin. Baby in Berlin offers family care and concierge services to expat families in Germany. Elodie can assist in filling in your Elterngeld application or explain the parental leave system and your entitlements as per your specific situation. Feel free to contact her here.