Overview on the most important regulations for the granting of child benefit in accordance with the Income Tax Law (Einkommensteuergesetz). Child benefit is granted for all children until the age of 18 - in certain cases also beyond that age. The applications for child benefit are filed with the Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse) of the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit - BA).

Generally, all children are entitled to child benefit from birth until the age of 18. Under certain circumstances child benefit can be paid for a longer period.

The filing and handling of all claims for child benefit is done by the Family Benefits Office of the Federal Employment Agency. The Family Benefits Office will inform you in detail about all basic regulations on the subject of child benefit. You will get answers to the following questions (German only):

• Which requirements have to be met to be entitled to child benefit?
• How do you file the application for child benefit?
• How is payment effected?
• How are duration and amount of child benefit determined?
• What is the amount of income limit and limiting amount?
• Which regulations apply especially to disabled children?
• Which further rights and duties exist?

When having questions about application and your individual case, please contact the Family Benefits Office in your proximity.

Please use our online form service to apply for child benefit and for notification of changes.
Go to online form service

Furthermore, all current forms of the Family Benefits Office are available as writeable PDF documents.
Got to child benefit forms

NOTE: Please note that this information does not yet include the changes resulting from the 2011 tax simplification act (Steuervereinfachungsgesetz), such as the limit on income and earnings of EUR 8,004 annually, which will be discontinued as of 01 January 2012.

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