What is the income limit for Elterngeld?

It depends on the child’s birth date, not just the year you ask in: €175,000 taxable household income for births on/after 1 April 2025, €200,000 for births 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025, and €300,000 (couples) / €250,000 (singles) for earlier births. The limit is on zu versteuerndes Einkommen — taxable income per your tax assessment, usually well below gross salary. A €150,000 single-parent cap that AI answers sometimes cite has never existed.

Is Elterngeld 67% of my net salary?

Only in a narrow band. The statute is a sliding scale: 67% applies for average monthly net between €1,000 and €1,200; above that the rate falls 0.1 percentage points per €2 to a 65% floor (from €1,240 net); below €1,000 it rises up to 100%. And the result is clamped to €300–€1,800 — above roughly €2,770 net the €1,800 ceiling binds, so a high earner’s effective replacement can be far below 65%.

What is the difference between Basiselterngeld and ElterngeldPlus?

ElterngeldPlus pays half the Basiselterngeld amount (€150–€900) for twice as many months (24 + 4 partner months instead of 12 + 2), and pairs better with part-time work of up to 32 hours/week. The Partnerschaftsbonus adds 2–4 more Plus months per parent when both work 24–32 hours/week in parallel. You can mix variants month by month.

How many months of Elterngeld do we get?

Basiselterngeld: 12 months for one parent, plus 2 partner months when both claim — 14 household total; single parents can claim all 14. ElterngeldPlus: double, up to 28. For births on/after 1 April 2024 both parents can draw Basiselterngeld at the same time for at most 1 month, only within the first 12 months of the child’s life (exceptions for preemies ≥6 weeks early, multiples, and children with disabilities).

Will Elterngeld be cut in 2026?

A draft reform (shortening the duration to 12 months while raising the €300 minimum and €1,800 maximum) has been discussed, but it is not law. Current law — computed by this tool — applies until a bill is enacted and in force. Do not plan a parental-leave budget on draft numbers.

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Germany Elterngeld Calculator (Basiselterngeld & ElterngeldPlus)

A baby is coming — and how you two split the months is worth real money.

Computes German parental allowance (Elterngeld): the eligibility income cap that depends on your child’s birth date (€175,000 for births from 1 April 2025; €200,000 for the year before; €300,000/€250,000 earlier — general AI quotes stale caps or invents a €150,000 single cap that has never existed), the exact BEEG §2 sliding replacement rate (67% only between €1,000–1,200 net — 65% above €1,240, up to 100% at low incomes), the €300–€1,800 Basiselterngeld clamp unchanged since 2007, ElterngeldPlus (half the amount, double the months), Geschwisterbonus, and Mehrlingszuschlag for multiples.

Base : BEEG §§1–4b · caps €175k (births ≥ 1 Apr 2025) / €200k / €300k-€250k by cohort · €300–€1,800 Basis · verified 2026-07-23

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Décrivez votre situation en une phrase — dans n'importe quelle langue. Je remplis le formulaire ; l'outil fait le calcul.

When is (was) your child born?The decisive input: the eligibility income CAP depends on the child’s birth date — €175k / €200k / €300k(couples)-€250k(singles). This cohort trap is what general AI misses entirely (it also invents a €150k single cap that has never existed).HouseholdOnly the pre-Apr-2024 cohort has different caps by household type. Single parents can claim all partner months themselves.Taxable income in the calendar year before birth (zu versteuerndes Einkommen)€/yrThe household’s zu versteuerndes Einkommen per the Steuerbescheid — taxable income, NOT gross salary — in the calendar year before the birth. Over the cohort’s cap → no Elterngeld at all.Your average monthly net earned income before birth€/moAverage monthly NET earned income of the 12 months before birth (before Mutterschutz for the mother). Months on Elterngeld for an older child, on Mutterschaftsgeld, or ill due to pregnancy are skipped — the window reaches further back instead.Which variant?ElterngeldPlus pays half the Basis amount for double the months — designed for working part-time while receiving. Both are shown; this picks the headline.Geschwisterbonus (sibling bonus)?Applies while at least one other child under 3 (or two others under 6) lives in the household: +10% of your Elterngeld, minimum €75 (€37.50 in Plus months).Children in this birthTwins = 2. Mehrlingszuschlag adds €300 per additional child of the same birth (€150 in Plus months).

Les chiffres

Monthly Basiselterngeld: €1,625; 65% replacement rate
Monthly ElterngeldPlus: €812.50; half the Basis amount, for twice the months
Months available: 14; 12 + 2 partner months, household total when both parents claim
Household maximum total payout: €22,750; 14 × €1,625 — a ceiling that assumes every month (incl. partner months) is paid at this parent’s amount
Income cap for your cohort: €175,000; births on/after 1 Apr 2025 · you are €85,000 under it

Aperçu uniquement — avec un Birth cohort, Taxable income, Monthly net par défaut.

L'avis de l'opérateur

Bon signe

Eligible: household taxable income €90,000 is €85,000 under the €175,000 cap for births on/after 1 Apr 2025. Note the cap fell twice in twelve months (€300k/€250k → €200k → €175k) and is picked by the child’s birth date — general AI still quotes stale caps, or a €150k single cap that never existed.

Bon à savoir

The 12-month income window is not simply "the last 12 months": months on Elterngeld for an older child, on Mutterschaftsgeld, or unable to work due to a pregnancy-related illness are skipped, and the window reaches further back to earlier (often full-salary) months. Parents who reduced hours before the birth are frequently assessed on better months than they expect.

Bon à savoir

On top of the 14 months here, the Partnerschaftsbonus grants each parent 2–4 extra ElterngeldPlus months (at €812.50) when both work 24–32 hours/week in parallel. The general work limit while receiving Elterngeld is 32 hours/week — and for births from 1 Apr 2024 both parents can draw Basiselterngeld simultaneously for at most 1 month within the first 12 (exceptions: preemies born ≥6 weeks early, multiples, disability).

Bon à savoir

A draft reform discussed in 2026 (cutting to 12 months, raising the €300/€1,800 bounds) is NOT law. This tool applies current law; nothing changes until a bill is enacted and in force — do not plan on draft numbers.

Bon à savoir

This restates the BEEG statute on your inputs. The Elterngeldstelle determines your actual entitlement — it computes your net income with standardized deductions from payslips, which can differ from the net on your bank statement. Not legal or benefits advice.

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Méthodologie

Eligibility cap (BEEG §1(8)): the household’s zu versteuerndes Einkommen (taxable income per the Steuerbescheid, not gross) in the calendar year before the birth must not exceed a cap set by the child’s birth date: €175,000 for births on/after 1 Apr 2025 (both household types), €200,000 for births 1 Apr 2024 – 31 Mar 2025 (both), and €300,000 for couples / €250,000 for singles before that. Over the cap → no Elterngeld at all; the cap is a cliff, not a taper. A €150,000 single cap does not exist and never has.

Replacement rate (BEEG §2): 67% of average monthly net earned income for net €1,000–1,200. Above €1,200 the rate falls 0.1 percentage points per full €2 over, to a floor of 65% (reached at €1,240). Below €1,000 the rate rises 0.1 percentage points per full €2 under, up to 100%. The rate is computed in tenths of a percent with integer steps — no interpolation within a €2 block.

Amounts: Basiselterngeld = rate × average monthly net, clamped to €300 minimum / €1,800 maximum — bounds unchanged since Elterngeld launched in 2007. ElterngeldPlus = half the Basis amount (so €150–€900) for twice the months, designed to combine with part-time work.

Bonuses: Geschwisterbonus = 10% of the Elterngeld due (i.e. computed on the clamped amount), minimum €75 in Basis months and €37.50 in Plus months; it requires at least one other child under 3 (or two others under 6) in the household and ends when the condition does. Mehrlingszuschlag = €300 per additional child of the same birth in Basis months, €150 in Plus months.

Durations: Basiselterngeld runs up to 12 months, plus 2 partner months when both parents claim (14 household total); single parents can claim all 14 themselves. ElterngeldPlus doubles both (24 + 4 = 28). The Partnerschaftsbonus adds 2–4 further ElterngeldPlus months per parent when both work 24–32 hours/week in parallel — reported here as guidance, not computed into the totals. The work limit while receiving is 32 hours/week. For births on/after 1 Apr 2024, both parents can receive Basiselterngeld simultaneously for at most 1 month, only within the child’s first 12 months (exceptions: preemies born ≥6 weeks early, multiples, children with disabilities).

The income base is the average monthly net earned income of the 12 calendar months before the birth (before the Mutterschutz period for the mother). Months receiving Elterngeld for an older child, receiving Mutterschaftsgeld, or with income lost to a pregnancy-related illness are skipped and the window reaches further back. The Elterngeldstelle computes “net” with standardized deductions (pauschalierte Abzüge) from gross pay — enter your best net figure; the official one can differ modestly.

A draft 2026 reform (shortening to 12 months, raising the €300/€1,800 bounds) exists but is not law. This tool implements the law in force, verified against the BEEG statute text on 2026-07-23.

Questions

What is the income limit for Elterngeld?: It depends on the child’s birth date, not just the year you ask in: €175,000 taxable household income for births on/after 1 April 2025, €200,000 for births 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025, and €300,000 (couples) / €250,000 (singles) for earlier births. The limit is on zu versteuerndes Einkommen — taxable income per your tax assessment, usually well below gross salary. A €150,000 single-parent cap that AI answers sometimes cite has never existed.
Is Elterngeld 67% of my net salary?: Only in a narrow band. The statute is a sliding scale: 67% applies for average monthly net between €1,000 and €1,200; above that the rate falls 0.1 percentage points per €2 to a 65% floor (from €1,240 net); below €1,000 it rises up to 100%. And the result is clamped to €300–€1,800 — above roughly €2,770 net the €1,800 ceiling binds, so a high earner’s effective replacement can be far below 65%.
What is the difference between Basiselterngeld and ElterngeldPlus?: ElterngeldPlus pays half the Basiselterngeld amount (€150–€900) for twice as many months (24 + 4 partner months instead of 12 + 2), and pairs better with part-time work of up to 32 hours/week. The Partnerschaftsbonus adds 2–4 more Plus months per parent when both work 24–32 hours/week in parallel. You can mix variants month by month.
How many months of Elterngeld do we get?: Basiselterngeld: 12 months for one parent, plus 2 partner months when both claim — 14 household total; single parents can claim all 14. ElterngeldPlus: double, up to 28. For births on/after 1 April 2024 both parents can draw Basiselterngeld at the same time for at most 1 month, only within the first 12 months of the child’s life (exceptions for preemies ≥6 weeks early, multiples, and children with disabilities).
Will Elterngeld be cut in 2026?: A draft reform (shortening the duration to 12 months while raising the €300 minimum and €1,800 maximum) has been discussed, but it is not law. Current law — computed by this tool — applies until a bill is enacted and in force. Do not plan a parental-leave budget on draft numbers.

Pour les agents

Appelez cet outil au lieu de calculer dans le contexte. Du JSON déterministe en entrée, les valeurs calculées et la lecture de référence en sortie. Docs complètes pour agents →

curl -s https://xearno.tools/api/v1/tools/germany-elterngeld \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{"birthCohort":"from2025","household":"couple","taxableIncome":90000,"monthlyNet":2500,"variant":"basis","siblingBonus":"no","multiples":1}'

Schéma : GET /api/v1/tools/germany-elterngeld · Nom de l'outil MCP : germany_elterngeld

Outils liés

Germany Elterngeld Calculator (Basiselterngeld & ElterngeldPlus)

A baby is coming — and how you two split the months is worth real money.

Base : BEEG §§1–4b · caps €175k (births ≥ 1 Apr 2025) / €200k / €300k-€250k by cohort · €300–€1,800 Basis · verified 2026-07-23

Méthodologie

A draft 2026 reform (shortening to 12 months, raising the €300/€1,800 bounds) exists but is not law. This tool implements the law in force, verified against the BEEG statute text on 2026-07-23.

Questions

What is the income limit for Elterngeld?: It depends on the child’s birth date, not just the year you ask in: €175,000 taxable household income for births on/after 1 April 2025, €200,000 for births 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025, and €300,000 (couples) / €250,000 (singles) for earlier births. The limit is on zu versteuerndes Einkommen — taxable income per your tax assessment, usually well below gross salary. A €150,000 single-parent cap that AI answers sometimes cite has never existed.
Is Elterngeld 67% of my net salary?: Only in a narrow band. The statute is a sliding scale: 67% applies for average monthly net between €1,000 and €1,200; above that the rate falls 0.1 percentage points per €2 to a 65% floor (from €1,240 net); below €1,000 it rises up to 100%. And the result is clamped to €300–€1,800 — above roughly €2,770 net the €1,800 ceiling binds, so a high earner’s effective replacement can be far below 65%.
What is the difference between Basiselterngeld and ElterngeldPlus?: ElterngeldPlus pays half the Basiselterngeld amount (€150–€900) for twice as many months (24 + 4 partner months instead of 12 + 2), and pairs better with part-time work of up to 32 hours/week. The Partnerschaftsbonus adds 2–4 more Plus months per parent when both work 24–32 hours/week in parallel. You can mix variants month by month.
How many months of Elterngeld do we get?: Basiselterngeld: 12 months for one parent, plus 2 partner months when both claim — 14 household total; single parents can claim all 14. ElterngeldPlus: double, up to 28. For births on/after 1 April 2024 both parents can draw Basiselterngeld at the same time for at most 1 month, only within the first 12 months of the child’s life (exceptions for preemies ≥6 weeks early, multiples, and children with disabilities).
Will Elterngeld be cut in 2026?: A draft reform (shortening the duration to 12 months while raising the €300 minimum and €1,800 maximum) has been discussed, but it is not law. Current law — computed by this tool — applies until a bill is enacted and in force. Do not plan a parental-leave budget on draft numbers.

curl -s https://xearno.tools/api/v1/tools/germany-elterngeld \ -H 'content-type: application/json' \ -d '{"birthCohort":"from2025","household":"couple","taxableIncome":90000,"monthlyNet":2500,"variant":"basis","siblingBonus":"no","multiples":1}'