German parental allowance calculator 2026

What the parental-allowance calculator does

The calculator implements German parental allowance (Elterngeld) 2026 according to the Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (BEEG). From your average net income of the 12 months before birth, the number of children, an optional sibling bonus and optional part-time income during the benefit period, it derives the basic monthly amount, the Plus monthly amount and the total payout for your chosen duration.

It honours the floor and ceiling under §2(1)(4) BEEG (€300 to €1,800 per month), the replacement-rate tier with the gliding transition between €1,200 and €1,240, the sibling bonus under §2a(1), the multiple-birth supplement under §2a(4) (€300 per additional child), the maximum 14-month benefit period under §4 including partner months, the Plus conversion under §4b (one basic month becomes two Plus months) and the partnership bonus under §4a (four additional Plus months). The income cap of €175,000 joint taxable annual income under §1(8) BEEG (in force for births from 1 April 2025) is checked upfront.

Which replacement rate applies to which income?

The replacement rate depends on the average net income of the twelve calendar months before the birth month — known as the assessment income (Bemessungseinkommen). §2(2) BEEG defines three tiers:

Low earners (below €1,000): Replacement rate 67 percent. In practice the amount frequently lands at the €300 floor, because €1,000 × 67 % = €670 — earners with very low pre-birth income mostly benefit from the minimum-amount guarantee.

Mid earners (€1,000 to €1,240): Between €1,000 and €1,200 the rate stays at 67 percent. In the narrow transition zone of €1,200 to €1,240 it falls linearly to 65 percent — every additional €2 of income reduces the rate by 0.1 percentage points.

Standard earners (from €1,240): Replacement rate 65 percent up to the assessment cap of €2,770. Anyone above €2,770 net receives only the maximum amount of €1,800 (€2,770 × 65 % = €1,800.50, capped at €1,800).

The calculator shows the applied replacement rate as an intermediate step so you can trace the math.

When does Elterngeld Plus make sense?

Elterngeld Plus is the smart variant when you plan to work part-time during the leave or want to stretch the benefit period. The mechanic under §4b BEEG is straightforward: one basic month converts into two Plus months. The monthly amount halves, the duration doubles, the total stays the same.

Example: with a basic amount of €1,300 the Plus equivalent is €650. Instead of 14 months × €1,300 = €18,200, you receive 28 months × €650 = €18,200 — same money, twice the duration. Plus is especially valuable when the §2(3) difference rule would already cut basic Elterngeld: a parent earning €1,000 during the leave is paid only on the difference (pre-birth minus during-leave) — but Plus uses that difference for twice as long.

Practical note: Plus months must run consecutively, and the basic-versus-Plus choice must be declared with the application. Subsequent changes are possible but administratively painful.

How does the partnership bonus work?

The partnership bonus under §4a BEEG rewards couples who share childcare equally. When both parents work between 24 and 32 hours per week in parallel for four consecutive months, both receive four additional Plus months.

At a base amount of €1,300 this means 4 × €650 = €2,600 per parent — €5,200 extra for the family. Conditions: both must work in the same period (four consecutive months), both stay in the 24–32 h/week corridor, and the bonus months follow the regular basic or Plus months.

The bonus is the only lever to exceed the 14-month ceiling of regular Elterngeld. Using full basic exhaustion (14 months) plus 4 bonus months a family reaches 18 benefit months. With a full Plus strategy (28 months) plus 4 bonus months, even 32 months.

What did the 2024 budget-finance law change?

The 2024 budget-finance act tightened §1(8) BEEG in two stages. Stage 1 (births from 1 April 2024): the income cap fell for couples from €300,000 to €200,000 joint taxable annual income, and for single parents from €250,000 to €200,000. Stage 2 (births from 1 April 2025): a uniform €175,000 — this is the current cap and the one this calculator uses.

In parallel, simultaneous receipt of basic Elterngeld was restricted: from 1 April 2024 parents may share basic Elterngeld for a maximum of one month in parallel, and that month must lie within the child’s first twelve months. Plus and the partnership bonus are exempt from this restriction — both parents can still use them simultaneously.

The floor and ceiling (€300 / €1,800), the replacement rates (65–67 %), the sibling bonus, the multiple-birth supplement and the €2,770 assessment cap remained unchanged.

Which benefit strategies are common?

Strategy 1 — Classic (short, mostly full-time): 12 basic months for one parent + 2 partner months for the other. With €2,000 pre-birth net: 14 × €1,300 = €18,200 over 14 months. The partner takes at least 2 months of leave.

Strategy 2 — Max duration (full Plus): 24 Plus months for one parent + 4 Plus months for the other. 28 × €650 = €18,200 over 28 months. Suited when one parent pauses entirely and the half amount works as a sustained-stipend strategy.

Strategy 3 — Partner bonus (max money): 14 basic + 4 bonus months per parent. 14 × €1,300 + 4 × €650 = €18,200 + €2,600 = €20,800 over 18 months. Requires both parents working 24–32 h/week in parallel for four months.

Strategy 4 — Early return with Plus: 6 basic + 16 Plus + 4 partner-bonus. 6 × €1,300 + 16 × €650 + 4 × €650 = €7,800 + €10,400 + €2,600 = €20,800 over 26 months. Early part-time return, long Plus accompaniment.

The right strategy depends on return-to-work wishes, partner availability and cash-flow needs. The calculator shows monthly amounts and totals for each mode so you can compare directly.

What are the common use cases?

• Preparing the Elterngeld application with concrete numbers instead of rough estimates
• Comparing benefit strategies (Basic vs Plus vs Partner-bonus) for the family conference
• Cash-flow planning: how much will hit the joint account each month during the leave?
• Tax planning: is a tax-class change before birth worth it?
• Comparing Elterngeld with statutory maternity pay for expectant mothers with prior-year bonuses
• Modelling the financial impact of a planned part-time return

Frequently Asked Questions

How much parental allowance does Germany pay in 2026?

Basic parental allowance covers 65 to 67 percent of average net income from the twelve months before birth — minimum €300, maximum €1,800 per month (§2(1)(4) BEEG). Below €1,240 monthly income the rate is 67 percent, above it 65 percent. The maximum is reached at an income of about €2,770 net per month (2,770 × 65 % = €1,800.50, capped at €1,800).

What is the difference between Elterngeld and Elterngeld Plus?

Basic Elterngeld pays the full monthly amount for up to 14 months. Plus pays half the monthly amount for twice as long — one basic month converts to two Plus months (§4b BEEG). The total amount stays the same; only the distribution differs. Plus is particularly useful when one parent returns to part-time work during the leave, because §2(3) BEEG offsets the difference between pre-birth and during-leave income.

Who is entitled to parental allowance in 2026?

Anyone who lives with the child, cares for it personally and works no more than 32 hours per week (§1(1) BEEG). For births from 1 April 2025 the entitlement ends when joint taxable annual income of both parents exceeds €175,000 (§1(8) BEEG). Births between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 used the previous €200,000 cap.

How does the sibling bonus work?

Families with an older child under 3, or with two older children under 6, receive 10 percent more parental allowance — but at least €75 per month (§2a(1) BEEG). For disabled siblings the age limit is 14. The bonus is automatically added throughout the entire benefit period. Importantly: the bonus is computed on the basic amount AFTER applying the replacement rate, not on the pre-birth income.

What is the partnership bonus?

When both parents work between 24 and 32 hours per week in parallel for four consecutive months, the family receives four additional Plus months (§4a BEEG). At a base amount of €1,300 this adds €650 per month per parent — €2,600 extra each over the four months. This is the only way to exceed the 14-month cap of regular Elterngeld.

How does part-time work during the leave affect the amount?

A parent working during the benefit period receives, under §2(3) BEEG, the DIFFERENCE between pre-birth and during-leave income, multiplied by the replacement rate. Pre-birth €2,000, during-leave €1,000 → difference €1,000 × 65 % = €650 per month. Plus mitigates this by spreading the same payment over twice the duration.

Do Christmas and holiday bonuses count toward the assessment?

No. Other lump-sum payments (Christmas, holiday, severance) have been excluded from the assessment since the 2015 reform. Only ongoing monthly wages count. Parents with strongly variable compensation (commissions, profit-shares) should verify with their employer what is declared as ongoing pay versus bonus payment.

What happens with parental leave after 12 months?

Parental allowance ends after at most 14 months (28 with Plus, plus optional 4 bonus months), but parental leave under §15 BEEG can extend to the child’s third birthday — even to the eighth birthday when a portion is taken later. During this unpaid leave there is dismissal protection but no parental allowance. Parents wanting to stay home longer can fall back on the family-allowance schemes of some federal states (Bavaria, Saxony) or on child supplement (Kinderzuschlag) and citizen’s income (Bürgergeld).