What does Kindergeld mean?
Kindergeld (child benefit) is money for parents that the Familienkasse pays every month for each child.
das Kindergeld
You usually get it until your child is 18. Often longer during training or studies.
You apply in writing to the Familienkasse. You need your own Steuer-ID and your child's.
Kindergeld is only paid back for a few months. So apply soon after the birth.
You can file an Einspruch against a Bescheid. The deadline is in the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung.
Example sentence
Für Ihr Kind wird ab Oktober 2026 Kindergeld festgesetzt.
Kindergeld is set for your child from October 2026.
What you can do
Report changes immediately, for example when your child finishes training. Otherwise you may have to pay Kindergeld back.
Related words
- Familienkasse The Familienkasse (family benefits office) pays Kindergeld and Kinderzuschlag. It is usually part of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit.
- Kinderzuschlag Kinderzuschlag (child supplement) is money for families with a low income. It comes on top of Kindergeld.
- Steuer-ID The Steuer-ID (tax ID) is your personal number for taxes in Germany. It has eleven digits and stays the same for life.
- Einspruch With an Einspruch, you challenge certain decisions, for example from the Finanzamt (tax office) or a Bußgeldbescheid (fine).
- Antrag With an Antrag (application), you ask an office for something, for example money or a permit.