What is Kindergeld? Kindergeld is a monthly state payment for the support of children, governed by § 1 of the Bundeskindergeldgesetz (BKGG) and § 62 of the Income Tax Act (EStG). It is not a social welfare benefit but rather a tax relief (steuerliche Entlastung) designed to exempt a child's existential minimum from taxation. It is paid out by the Familienkasse (Family Fund), which is part of the Federal Employment Agency. Since January 1, 2026, the benefit has been €259 per child per month – a uniform amount for all children, regardless of birth order. This represents an increase of €4 compared to 2025.
Who is eligible? Entitled persons (§ 1, § 2 BKGG, § 32 EStG):
Parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, and in some cases grandparents (if the child lives in their household)
The child must reside in Germany (or, under certain conditions, in an EU/EEA country if the parents are in Germany)
Age limits:
Up to 18 years – paid without conditions
18 to 25 years – if the child is:
In initial education (vocational training, studies, school)
In a transition period between training programs of less than 4 months
Not in gainful employment exceeding 20 hours per week (or above a certain income threshold)
No age limit – if the child is unable to support themselves due to disability (the disability must have existed before the child turned 25)
Foreign nationals:
EU citizens: eligible under certain conditions
Third-country nationals: eligible if they hold a residence permit that allows work or benefits (under § 3 BKGG)
Exclusions: If the child receives their own Bürgergeld/ALG II, the Kindergeld is offset against it under § 7 SGB II.
How much do you receive? From January 1, 2026: €259 per child per month, regardless of birth order (increase of €4 from 2025). The benefit is paid retroactively – from the month of birth or the month of application (§ 6 BKGG). It does not depend on parental income. The Kinderfreibetrag (child tax allowance) for 2026 is €6,828 per child (€3,414 per parent), plus an additional €2,928 for care, education, or training needs. The total tax-free amount per child is €9,756 for 2026. Günstigerprüfung (Favorable Comparison): The tax office automatically checks whether Kindergeld or the child tax allowance is more advantageous for you and grants the higher benefit. Additional benefit: The Kinderzuschlag (KiZ) – up to €297 per child per month (2026) – is available for low-income families and requires a separate application.
Deadlines and key dates Entitlement begins: From the month of birth (§ 6 BKGG). Payment starts: From the month of application (generally retroactive for up to 6 months under § 44 SGB X). For children over 18: You must submit a continuation application (Weiterantrag) in good time (before the child's education ends) to avoid automatic termination. Objection deadline: 1 month from receipt of a rejection decision (§ 84 SGB X). Payment schedule: Monthly. The exact date depends on the last digit (Endziffer) of your Kindergeld number – see below. When do payments arrive? The Familienkasse distributes payments across the month based on the last digit of your Kindergeld number.
Lower digits (0–3): Paid at the beginning of the month
Middle digits (4–6): Paid mid-month
Higher digits (7–9): Paid toward the end of the month
You can find your Kindergeld number on any letter from the Familienkasse (e.g., on your payment notification). The format is typically something like xxxFKxxxxx9 – the last digit is the Endziffer. The official 2026 payment dates are published by the Federal Employment Agency.
Common mistakes
Not applying promptly after birth – you lose months of payments
Forgetting the continuation application for children over 18 – payments stop automatically
Incorrectly reporting income/education status – may result in a repayment demand
Assuming Kindergeld is cancelled when receiving Bürgergeld – it is offset, but often still beneficial
Not applying for retroactive payments – you can claim up to 6 months back
Ignoring the tax comparison (Günstigerprüfung) – the tax office will check this automatically, but you should be aware of it for your tax return
Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for Kindergeld
Step 1: Obtain the child's tax ID (Steuer-ID) After the birth of your child, the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) automatically sends the child's tax ID (Steuerliche Identifikationsnummer) by post within 2–4 weeks. You will need this number for the Kindergeld application.
Step 2: Check your eligibility Verify your entitlement on the official Familienkasse website (familienkasse.de) or contact the Familienkasse in your city directly.
Step 3: Gather your documents You will need the following documents: For all children:
By post: Send the completed form to your local Familienkasse
In person: Hand it in at your local Familienkasse office
Application form: Use the "Antrag auf Kindergeld" form. Submission is free of charge. To find your responsible Familienkasse, search by postal code at arbeitsagentur.de.
Step 5: Wait for the decision Processing typically takes 4–8 weeks – though online applications are often processed faster.
Step 6: Receive payments Once approved, payments are made monthly to the bank account you specified in the application. Payment dates are determined by the last digit of your Kindergeld number.
Step 7: For children over 18 – submit a continuation application Submit a continuation application (Weiterantrag) 2–3 months before your child turns 18 to ensure uninterrupted payment. The Familienkasse may also send you a reminder.
Step 8: If you receive a rejection, a reduced amount, or a termination – file a Widerspruch (objection) If your application is rejected, the amount is too low, or payments are terminated, you have one month from the date you receive the decision to file an objection (Widerspruch). The objection must be submitted in writing to the Familienkasse that issued the decision. If the decision does not contain instructions on how to appeal, the deadline is extended to one year. Important notes
Retroactive payments: You can claim Kindergeld retroactively for up to 6 months (under § 44 SGB X)
Automatic payments: For children under 18, payments continue automatically. For children over 18, you must actively apply for continuation each year
If you move: Notify the Familienkasse immediately of any change of address
If the child's education status changes: You must report changes immediately to avoid repayment demands
How to Fill Out the Kindergeld Application The Antrag auf Kindergeld consists of two main parts: the main form KG 1 (Hauptantrag) and a separate Anlage Kind for each child. The KG 1 form is typically divided into logical sections (not always strictly numbered, but roughly as described below). Sections 1–2: Personal data of the applicant (Antragsteller / kindergeldberechtigte Person) In this section, you provide:
Last name, first name, birth name (if applicable)
Date of birth
Tax ID (Steuer-ID)
Gender (if asked)
Nationality (Staatsangehörigkeit)
Marital status (Familienstand: married, single, divorced, etc.)
Residential address (street, postal code, city; specify if different from mailing address)
Phone number and email address
Kindergeld number (if you already have one)
Sections 3–4: Data on spouse/partner or second parent (Ehe-/Lebenspartner oder anderer leiblicher Elternteil) You provide:
Full name, tax ID, date of birth
Address (if different from yours)
Nationality
Berechtigten-Bestimmung (determination of who receives the benefit): Here you select which parent will actually receive the Kindergeld (usually one parent, with the consent signature of the other parent). Sections 5–6: General information about children and Zählkinder
Number of Anlage Kind forms attached
Indication of Zählkinder (children for whom someone else receives Kindergeld, but they increase the amount for you)
Question about previous applications or receipt of Kindergeld for these children
Sections 7–8: Bank details (Zahlungsempfänger) You provide:
IBAN
BIC
Bank name
Account holder (usually the applicant)
Sections 9–10: Additional information
Rückwirkender Antrag – from which month you request retroactive payment
Auslandssachverhalte – if the child or parents are abroad
Weiterleitung Kindergeld – if the benefit should be forwarded to a third party
Question about public service employment (öffentlicher Dienst) in the last 5 years
Signatures and declaration
Signature of the applicant
Signature of the partner/second parent (if required)
Date
Declaration: You confirm that all information is complete and truthful, commit to reporting any changes, and acknowledge receipt of the Kindergeld information leaflet (Merkblatt). Anlage Kind (separate sheet for each child, numbered consecutively) Section 1: Personal data of the child
Type of relationship (biological child, adopted child, stepchild, foster child, etc.)
Section 3: Start of entitlement (Beginn des Anspruchs)
From which month/date entitlement begins (e.g., from the month of birth)
Section 4: Previous applications
Whether Kindergeld has already been applied for or received for this child (and by whom)
Sections 5–6: For children over 18
Ausbildungsstatus – education status (school, vocational training, university studies, transition period)
Einkünfte/Bezüge – income/benefits of the child
Arbeitszeit – working hours (whether more than 20 hours/week)
Behinderung – disability (if applicable)
Signature
Signature of the applicant (or legal representative) and date
If the government agency requests additional documents
When you have submitted your application and the Jobcenter has already partially reviewed it, they may request additional documents. A serious mistake is to simply forward the requested documents without a cover letter. In such cases, the officials at the Jobcenter do not understand which case the documents belong to, cannot link them to a specific file number, consider the deadline not met, and issue a rejection stating „Unterlagen nicht fristgerecht eingereicht“
How to Submit Additional Documents Correctly When submitting additional documents, you must include a cover letter (Begleitschreiben). Cover letter pdfword.doc This ensures that your documents are correctly assigned to your case and that the deadline is met.
If your payment was rejected or too low, file an appeal.
Deadline: 1 month from receipt of the notification (1 year if no instructions were provided). Use our appeal template.
