Gynecology And Obstetrics-

Parental benefit application

What is the parental benefit application?

In order for families to be able to receive parental allowance, it is necessary that they submit a corresponding application for parental allowance early on, the so-called parental allowance application. In order to fill out the application you need the birth certificate of the child. The application for parental allowance can therefore only be submitted after the child is born.

It is advisable to submit the application within the first three months after the birth of the child, as the parental allowance is paid retrospectively for a maximum of three months from the date of application.

Each federal state has its own parental allowance offices that accept and process the applications. In some federal states, the application for parental allowance can even be submitted online. The Federal Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth is a point of contact and informs parents about the parental allowance offices responsible for them.

For more detailed information on this topic, see: Parental Allowance

How do you apply for parental allowance?

The most important prerequisite for applying for parental allowance is the child's birth certificate. You can only apply when the child has already been born.

With the birth certificate, you can apply for parental allowance at the responsible parental allowance office. You can get information from the Federal Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth and find the responsible authority. Each state has its own form. You can get it from the respective parental allowance office and fill it out with personal information and account details.

In addition to the birth certificate, proof of previous income, the last tax assessment and, if necessary, other documents such as certificates of health insurance during maternity leave are required.

The parental allowance offices help to fill out the application correctly and then accept and process it. In some federal states it is also possible to fill out the parental allowance application online. This applies to Bavaria and the Saarland, for example.

Where do you apply for parental allowance?

The application for parental allowance is submitted to the parental allowance offices. A different parental allowance office is responsible for you depending on where you live and where you live. The Federal Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth has listed the parental allowance offices. There are also other websites that show the parental allowance offices.

Many federal states offer the option of downloading the application document as a PDF file. You can use it to prepare the application at home and hand it in with the required documents, birth certificate, etc. and ask any questions. Of course, you can also get the forms from the parental allowance offices.

In Bavaria and Saarland, you can also apply online if you prefer this route.

The following topic could also be of interest to you. Read more about this under: Child-raising time - what should you consider?

Where can I get a parental allowance application from and where do I have to send it?

You can get the parental allowance application personally at the responsible parental allowance office and fill it in with the required documents and hand it in there.

Some federal states offer application forms for the application for parental allowance on the Internet, where you can print out the application as a PDF file and fill it out. This form will also be submitted to the responsible parental allowance office or sent there.

In Bavaria and Saarland you can also find the parental allowance application online and submit it online. If you have any questions, you can contact the responsible parental allowance office.

Can I also fill it out online?

In Bavaria and Saarland you can fill out the parental allowance application online. You save yourself the hassle and can fill out the application six weeks before the due date and save it online.

You don't need a printer and you can send the data online. For this it is necessary to register on the respective homepages of the federal states.

How long does it take to process a parental allowance application?

The processing time of a parental allowance application differs in the various parental allowance offices and also depends on the number of births. If documents are missing or there are gaps in the application, the processing of the application is extended.

Processing can take up to eight weeks. If the application has not been processed after eight weeks, it is advisable to call the responsible parental allowance office and follow up on it.

The parental allowance is paid retrospectively for a maximum of three months and the application can only be submitted after the child is born. In order to benefit from the parental allowance as much as possible, it is therefore advisable to submit the application within the first three months after the birth of the child.

Initially, new parents are faced with many changes that occur in their lives. Read our next article to prepare ahead of time: My baby is sleeping poorly - what can I do?

What is the certificate of earnings?

The certificate of earnings is a written document from the employer. This shows what the employee has earned within the last calendar year, what income was subject to social security and what the working hours looked like. A statement of earnings must contain the following information:

Name, address, date of birth and insurance number of the employee
Information about the start of employment and, if applicable, the end of employment
Information on total gross income
Billing period
Income tax class, income tax identification number of the employee and allowances
Social security number of the employee