Child support money in Germany (Kindergeld)

Just picked up the paperwork for our little one which should make his arrival any day now.

Kindergeld - Go to the Familiankasse and pick up the application. Fairly simple and short.

Elterngeld - Replaces the Erziehungsgeld if I understand correctly and is handled through the Arbeitsamt. We ran around the city this morning and finally ended up at the correct office. The application is quite lengthy and requires various stamps and info from different offices (i.e. Aüslandersamt, employer, etc.). It looks like it could take some doing to get all the information pulled together. Plus the nice lady at the office told us that the computer systems are not yet set up for Elterngeld and thus all applications must be processed manually and take up to 6 weeks. So if you want your money timely, then get the paperpwork done and turned in as soon as possible so that you will not have a lag between the payment of the Mutterschaftsgeld and the Elterngeld.

I live in Nuernberg now so can't give you the addresses for Munich, but surely a search will turn up the results as this has been discussed numerous times or simply call the local Arbeitsamt and ask where to get the appropriate application(s). Good luck.

Chumbawumba wrote:

>Simple steps:
>1) Fill in the Forms - As a foreigner the important thing is to declare any other child benefit you get (again for UK people get in touch with the Inland revenue and cancel child support). If you have any problems get a native to help out.
>2) Take the Haushaltbescheinigung, €5 and your passport down to you local KVR Meldstelle
>- At this point the person serving you will most likly give you a paper which you must take to the "kasse" to pay your €5, for now he will keep the form.
>- Pay and get a receipt, take the receipt back to the person with the Haushaltbescheinigung and he should give it to you stamped and you are finished here.
>3) Put in the envelope:
>- Stamped Haushaltbescheinigung
>- Antrag auf Kindergeld (filled in)
>- Birth certificate
>4) Post it! laugh.gif

As they require the original birth certificate, I assume they post it back to you. Is this true and is this done automatically, or do you need to put in a stamped self-addressed envelope?

If you've tried the previously posted links to the forms and they didn't work too well, try these:

for kindergeld form: http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/zentraler-Con...V-Kg-Antrag.pdf
for Haushaltsbescheinigung: http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/zentraler-Con...g-KG3a-.pdf.pdf

Probably not. It's normal to get a number of "original" birth certificates, or rather, certified copies at the outset, as authorities like these eat them.

Yes, I heard they issue a number of copies of the birth certificate here. My daughter is British though, so she only has the one and I'm not very keen on sending it to the local authorities for it never to be seen again.

Any advice?

You can actually go in peson to the kindergeld office, well most of them I think. Then they can photocopy the original there and then.

Can anyone help me? I recently applied for kindergeld for my child born last december. I am a student and have an aufenthaltserlaubnis. They write me a letter saying I am not eligible. Can anyone tell me why?

The letter should have told you why. If you don't understand it have someone read/translate it for you or enter the contents here...

I think u mean Erziehungsgeld, where one or both Parents get money to stay at home with their child for 2 years or so. This is means tested, but Kindergeld is for any child born in Germany or registered in Germany to an in germany tax paying family, doesn't matter how much u earn.

Loretta

its not 2% of working women - its two percent of the women eligible for the benefit i.e. expecting moms. by the way - in order to have 2200 netto as a single you need to earn about 4000 euros - approx. 5240 dollars per month. ad the lack of christmas bonuses and less vacation - you would need to earn around 7000 dollars per month. you had a GOOD job:-)))

Hi,

We recently applied for the Kindergeld but without a 5 EUR Haushaltbescheinigung. As far as we checked the form and info pages, there is no requirement for Haushaltbescheinigung thing (we have to admit that our German understanding is not perfect though). Maybe they've changed the rule?

So we first sent only;
- application form (my husband got a paper form when he went to KVR to get birth certificates but we downloaded a pdf version)
- original birth certificate

Then they wrote back to us to ask for a copy of my residence permit (probably because I, the applicant, was not an EU citizen) so I sent a copy of my green paper (Aufenthaltstitel) and that was it! They started to pay us Kindergeld

Does anyone have a copy of the form about "kindergeld" in English. I don't understand it all in German. I am a EU national living in Germany. I am self employed here. I have a partner, although I'm not married. I want to know if I can apply for this benefit. I need to understand all the small print. My child will be born in Germany.

All the information pertaining to Kindergeld and Erziehungsgeld is in the attached pdf form IN ENGLISH...

www.bmfsfj.de/RedaktionBMFSFJ/Abteilung2/Pdf-Anlagen/regelleistungen-steuererm_C3_A4_C3_9Figungen-englisch,property=pdf,bereich=,rwb=true.pdf

Probably because you just got an "Aufenthaltserlaubnis" for students. Which doesnt entitle you to "Kindergeld".

Very Very useful thread on kindergeld and elterngeld. However does anyone have any updated links to download the forms.

I have tried the links :-

Kindergeld:

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/zentraler-Con...-Kg1-Antrag.pdf

Haushaltsbescheinigung:

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/zentraler-Con...scheinigung.pdf

All forms:

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_26666/zent...Kindergeld.html

Try: http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_26666/Navi...ergeld-Nav.html

Thanks , absolutely brilliant! What about this elterngeld , any idea if i get the forms in advance somewhere on the net?

As far as I know, the forms are different in every federal state. You need to contact the appropriate administration. More info here:
http://www.bmfsfj.de/Kategorien/Service/th...,did=88966.html
or here:
http://www.elterngeld.de/pages/elterngeldantragpag.html

Some might offer the forms online. For example the town of Sindelfingen in Baden-Württemberg offers this form: http://www.l-bank.de/allg/dokarchiv/100146

Hey guys,

can anybody tell me whether a non-German non-EU female student (with a one year old baby) studying on a short term course of six months in total (on scholarship) in Germany is eligible to get kindergeld during those six months? If yes how, how much and when?

Thanks

Rupanjana

Hi all,

I'm from Argentina and we are living with my family in Dresden. I was looking information about the Kindergeld and I found useful irecipes here in this forum. I have a couple of doubts that probably some of you could answer me.

It is necessary to send the original of the Birth Certificate?. We have two kids, both Argentinian and we have a public translation of both certificates in German. The problem is that such certificates are not so easy to obtain if we need them for other stuff. It's not enough to send a copy?.

Right now I'm trying to fill the forms. There are not an explanation in English?. Thanks!!!.

Another question is: Here in Dresden we should to go to the 'Agentur für Arbeit' to complete the process?.

Thanks to all of you for your time and kindness.

Best wishes,

Marcelo

Hey guys,

can anybody tell me whether a non-German non-EU female student (with a one year old baby) studying on a short term course of six months in total (on scholarship) in Germany is eligible to get kindergeld during those six months? If yes how, how much and when?

Thanks

Rupanjana

Hi.

I have some questions and hope to get some help here.


How high is high?


Is this information still valid this year?

Thank you.

According to Der Kleine Konz which I recommend for those doing their own taxes: "What is cheaper, Kindergeld or Steuerfreibeitrag? If your taxable income as a sole earner is under 30K€, or as married under 60K€, then Kindergeld is your best bet. This is because the Kindergeld is then higher than your tax deduction. The tax savings are higher than paid Kindergeld when your tax rate (Grenzsteuersatz) is 32% or higher."

So where should I indicate which option I would like? My boss tells me it is assessed automatically by the Finazamt...

I´m not sure, but to get Kindergeld you have to apply for it. That is, fill out the form and send it in + birth certificate etc. For the Kinderfreibeitrag I guess you just change your Lohnsteuerkarte.

Ok, thanks anyway.

So am I claiming too much? I never file tax returns, been advised there's no point and am taxed at source anyway. Recently I changed my Steuerklasse to reflect the fact that my wife isn't working and I receive quite a bit more geld at the end of the monat...but we also applied for Kindergeld, which we now receive every month. Should I be claiming this then given my Steuerklasse change? We are also getting the elterngeld now too.

Hi,

Really informative thread, well done people...

However, I have a couple of further questions (probably best answered by somebody who has had a kid here since the start of the year):

1. My wife will be paid Mutterschutzgeld for 6 weeks b4 and 8 weeks after the birth. I read then that the Elterngeld is paid for the first 12 months after the birth including the 2 months when mutterschutz is still being paid... does that mean that for month one and two she'll get both? Or does the Elterngeld start at month 3? If so does it run then to month 12 (so 10 months Elterngeld) or to Month 14?

2. What about health insurance during this phase? She is currently with the AOK, will we have to pay the AOK subs out of our own pocket while she is receiving Elterngeld or is that somehow also covered?

3. I know that both parents can take Elternzeit and split it between them as they like, but can both parents take Elternzeit at the same time?

Any light shed would be appreciated...

Noddy

Yes. A colleague is doing just that, together with his wife. One works 20hrs a week, and the other works 24hrs a week. Bearing in mind that during Elternzeit, one can work between 0hrs to 30hrs a week.

Right! Just went to apply for Kindergeld in Regensburg.
You need a completed form from http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_26532/zent...Kindergeld.html, a copy of your anmeldung, a copy of your passport, original birth certificate and yourself.

You find your nearest Familienkasse here: http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_29892/Navi...tellen-Nav.html,
You take yourself there, within the given opening times, get a ticket with a number from the machine to get in line to see someone, you wait till your number comes on the screen and you take your application to the person in the room number on the screen.

That was it. No sending anything off. I should now get Kindergeld, I was promised. I hope it works this easy for most!