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Applying for Elterngeld (Parental Allowance) in Germany
Document Checklist
Geburtsurkunde mit Verwendungszweck: Elterngeld
Geburtsurkunde of the child
Required: Original Standesamt-issued birth certificate marked Verwendungszweck: Elterngeld
Where to get: Standesamt of the place of birth
Cost: Varies by Bundesland; the purpose-marked Elterngeld copy is commonly issued without a fee
Per the Familienportal, this is the copy Elterngeldstellen require. Request it expressly when collecting the Geburtsurkunde from the Standesamt.
Nachweise über das bisherige Einkommen
Pre-birth income proof
Required (mothers — employees): Lohn- oder Gehaltsabrechnungen for the 12 calendar months before the month maternity protection begins
Required (fathers — employees): Lohn- oder Gehaltsabrechnungen for the 12 calendar months before the birth
Required (Beamtinnen, Beamte, Soldatinnen): Attestation of Dienstbezüge during maternity protection and of any supplements
Required (self-employed): Most recently issued Steuerbescheid from the Finanzamt
Per the Familienportal, the Bemessungszeitraum is fixed by employment type. Self-employed claimants are assessed by Veranlagungszeitraum on the Steuerbescheid.
Bescheinigungen zum Mutterschaftsgeld
Mutterschaftsgeld attestations
Required: Krankenkasse attestation of Mutterschaftsgeld paid and employer attestation of any Zuschuss zum Mutterschaftsgeld
Privately insured mothers: Private insurer attestation of Krankentagegeld during maternity protection
Per the Familienportal: 'Ihr Arbeitgeber oder Dienstherr ist verpflichtet, Ihnen die benötigten Unterlagen auszustellen.' Mutterschaftsgeld is a separate health-insurance benefit and counts as Basiselterngeld months on the mother's side.
Arbeitszeitbescheinigung des Arbeitgebers
Working-hours attestation during the claim
Required (employees): Employer attestation of working hours during the Elterngeld claim period
Required (self-employed): Self-declaration of prior working hours and working hours during the claim period
Where workload reduction is claimed, attach a declaration of compensating arrangements (substitute hire, colleague hand-off, reduced order intake).
Steuerbescheid des Vorjahres
Steuerbescheid for the income-ceiling check
Required (births from 1 April 2024): Steuerbescheid for the calendar year before the birth, where already issued
Cost: Free copy from the Finanzamt
Where the Steuerbescheid is not yet available, the Elterngeldstelle may grant the application vorläufig (provisionally) and reconcile once the assessment arrives.
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