Parental allowance is a benefit for parents of infants and young children. It is intended to enable parents to take the time to raise and care for their child. Parental allowance compensates for parents who have lower incomes because they temporarily work less or no longer work at all after the birth. Parental allowance thus helps secure the families’ financial livelihood. Parental allowance is also available for parents who had no income at all before the birth.

Parental allowance is intended to enable parents to truly spend time with their baby in the first few months after birth – without having to return to work immediately. It provides financial compensation when one or both parents temporarily work less or not at all. This supports the close bond between mom, dad, and child from the very beginning. Fathers should also be encouraged to play an active role and spend time with their child – and not just be the “breadwinner.” Parental allowance is therefore not just financial support, but also a sign of greater equality in the family.

The amount of parental allowance you receive depends on how much you earned before the birth. It’s usually between 65% and 100% of your average net income – but a maximum of €1,800 per month. If you had no income before (e.g., as a student, stay-at-home mom, or on parental leave with your previous child), you’ll receive the minimum amount of €300.
You can receive parental allowance for up to 14 months – but only if you split the amount between the parents (i.e., both take at least two months of parental leave). Otherwise, you receive 12 months for one parent alone. You can decide how you divide it up – even simultaneously or alternately.

Parental Allowance Plus & Partnership Bonus:
If you return to work earlier and work part-time, you can apply for what’s known as Parental Allowance Plus. This means you’ll receive less money per month, but for a longer period of time. And if you work part-time together as a couple (between 24-32 hours per week), you can receive the partnership bonus – that’s four additional months of Parental Allowance Plus.

Even if you had no income (e.g., student, unemployed, unpaid mini-job), you will receive parental allowance – but only the minimum amount of €300 per month. Nevertheless, it counts, because every bit of support helps during this intense time. And it shows that unpaid work is also recognized.

You must apply for parental allowance in writing – as soon as possible after the birth, but you can apply retroactively for up to three months. The parental allowance office in your place of residence is responsible. You can often prepare the application online (depending on your federal state) or download it as a PDF and submit it by mail. You will need documents such as your birth certificate, proof of income, and a certificate of maternity protection. Tip: Make a checklist in advance or seek help from a family counselor – unfortunately, the forms are often more complicated than they need to be.

As a mother or father, you can receive parental allowance under the following conditions:

• You care for and raise your child yourself.
• You live with your child in the same household.
• You are either not employed at all or work a maximum of 32 hours per week.
• You live in Germany.

Parental allowance is available to employees, civil servants, self-employed individuals, unemployed people, and stay-at-home parents. Parental allowance is also available even if you weren’t working before the birth.

Foreign parents can also receive parental allowance.
Nationality is important in this case.
If you come from another European Union (EU) country
or from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland, you can generally receive parental allowance in Germany if you live or work here.
Otherwise, it depends on whether you expect to stay in Germany permanently and are allowed to work here.
This means that you can receive parental allowance

if you are staying in Germany with a temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung)
(with the exception of temporary suspension of deportation for employment, see above).

with a settlement permit
with a UK residence document
with an EU long-term residence permit
with an EU Blue Card
with an ICT card or a Mobile ICT card
with an employment toleration permit

with a residence permit if you are allowed to work in Germany for at least
6 months or were previously allowed to work here; further restrictions apply.
If you have any questions about this topic, please contact
your parental allowance office.
However, you cannot receive parental allowance

with a residence permit (i.e., during an asylum procedure) or

I’m honestly really glad that there’s a system in Germany where the state supports parents financially when they have a baby. In my case, I was grateful to receive anything at all – I had been studying before the birth and didn’t have any income, so I only got the minimum amount: 300 euros per month. On the other hand, 300 euros really isn’t much. When my husband stayed home for a few months, we lived off our savings quite a bit. But that time together is something you never get back, so I’m truly thankful there’s at least some kind of financial support, even if you’re not working.