💶 Applying for child benefit

€259 per child and month. The application goes to the Familienkasse.

child benefit Familienkasse application €259 person entitled to child benefit payment

In brief

Child benefit (Kindergeld) is paid for every child. Since January 2026 it is €259 a month.

You apply to the Familienkasse (family benefits office). If you already receive child benefit, you do not need to do anything because of the increase. The Familienkasse automatically pays more.

The amount is the same for all children. It makes no difference whether it is the first or the third child.

Step by step

ApplySubmit the application to your Familienkasse.
Have documents readyThe child's birth certificate and details of everyone involved.
Report changesReport changes, such as a move or the end of training.

Deadlines

€259

monthly for each child§ 66 Abs. 1 EStG

no new application

if you already have an entitlement, child benefit increases automaticallyBundesagentur für Arbeit, press release no. 53 of 4 December 2025

Watch out – common mistakes

Child benefit is paid retroactively only for a limited time. So apply early.
If several people could be entitled, under § 64 EStG child benefit is paid to only one of them (mainly the person who has the child in their care).
Report changes immediately, otherwise you risk having to repay money.

In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Amount

Under § 66 Abs. 1 EStG, child benefit is €259 per month for each child. The Bundesagentur für Arbeit states that from January 2026 it rises uniformly for each child by four euros to €259 per month and that recipients do not need to do anything.

Who receives it

As a rule § 63 Abs. 1 EStG applies: children are the children under § 32 Abs. 1 EStG, the spouse's children and grandchildren. For one child, child benefit is paid to only one entitled person; where there are several, under § 64 EStG the decisive factor is mainly who has the child in their care. § 2 BKGG applies only to the residual group of persons under § 1 BKGG.

Relationship to tax law

Child benefit and the child tax allowance (§§ 31, 32 EStG) are linked. The tax office (Finanzamt) checks whether the allowance is more favourable.

Who is responsible

Familienkasse of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit
For public-sector employees, in some cases the employer's own Familienkasse

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Applying for child benefit“?

€259 per child and month. The application goes to the Familienkasse.

Which deadlines and figures matter?

€259: monthly for each child (§ 66 Abs. 1 EStG)
no new application: if you already have an entitlement, child benefit increases automatically (Bundesagentur für Arbeit, press release no. 53 of 4 December 2025)

What should I do first?

Apply: Submit the application to your Familienkasse.
Have documents ready: The child's birth certificate and details of everyone involved.
Report changes: Report changes, such as a move or the end of training.

What do I need to watch out for?

Child benefit is paid retroactively only for a limited time. So apply early.
If several people could be entitled, under § 64 EStG child benefit is paid to only one of them (mainly the person who has the child in their care).
Report changes immediately, otherwise you risk having to repay money.

Evidence

Gesetze im Internet, § 66 EStG, retrieved 20 September 2026
Bundesagentur für Arbeit, press release no. 53 of 4 December 2025: Kindergeld steigt ab Januar 2026, retrieved 20 September 2026
Gesetze im Internet, §§ 63, 64 EStG and § 1 BKGG, retrieved 20 September 2026

As of

September 2026 · Sources and method

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