People who have children deserve support from the state. Yet families come in many different forms, and the
benefits and tax allowances they require are just as varied. These include: child benefit, the supplementary
child allowance, maintenance advances, tax allowances for children and tax relief for single parents. All
families receive child benefit, or Kindergeld, regardless of their income. It is generally paid for all
children up to the age of 18. Child benefit is paid for unemployed children up to the age of 21, and for
children undertaking vocational training up to the age of 25. Applications for child benefit are submitted in
writing. The agency responsible is normally the Federal Employment Agency's Family Benefits Office, or
Familienkasse. The monthly child benefit rate is 194 euros each for the first and second children, 200 euros
for the third child, and 225 euros for each additional child. Income is untaxable up to a child's
subsistence level, and this principle is ensured by child benefit or the tax allowances for children. All
parents are entitled to the tax allowances without conditions until the child turns 18. After the child's
18th birthday, the tax allowances are granted in certain circumstances until the child turns 25, for example
if the child is undertaking vocational training. The tax-free child allowance is 4.788 euros, and each parent
is entitled to half of this amount. In certain circumstances, single parents can be entitled to the entire
amount. There is also an additional tax allowance for childcare, education or vocational training needs,
totalling 2.640 euros. Again, each parent is normally entitled to half of this amount. Single parents of minor
children can apply to have the other parent's share transferred to them. The Tax Office decides whether to
grant the tax allowances for children. It checks which option is most beneficial in the course of income tax
assessment. If child benefit is worth less than the tax relief provided by the tax allowances for children,
these allowances, less the amount of child benefit already paid out, are deducted from the parents' taxable
income. Parents who earn enough to support themselves, but not their children, receive the supplementary child
allowance, or Kinderzuschlag. This is paid for each unmarried child up to the age of 25 if the following
conditions are met: The parents must receive child benefit for the child in question. In addition, they must
not be entitled to unemployment benefit II. The parents' income must not be below a certain minimum level,
or above a specific maximum level. The supplementary child allowance is a maximum of 170 euros per month.
Benefits relating to education and participation can also be received. Applications for the supplementary
child allowance are submitted in writing to the Federal Employment Agency's Family Benefits Office, or
Familienkasse. The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs offers an online tool which enables you to check
whether you are entitled to the supplementary child allowance. If children do not receive maintenance payments
to which they are entitled, support can be provided in the form of a maintenance advance, or
Unterhaltsvorschuss. This is paid until the child's 18th birthday, at the latest. The monthly advance is 154
euros for children up to the age of 5, and 205 euros for children aged 6 to 11. The single parent's income
is irrelevant in this context. Children aged 12 to 17 are entitled to a maintenance advance if they are not
dependent on benefits under Book II of the Social Code, or if the single parent has gross monthly earnings of
at least 600 euros while receiving benefits under Book II of the Social Code. If these conditions are met, the
child receives a monthly maintenance advance of 273 euros. Applications for a maintenance advance must be
submitted in writing, normally to the local youth welfare office, or Jugendamt. In certain circumstances,
children who are foreign nationals can also receive a maintenance advance. Single parents receive special
treatment with regard to income tax. They benefit from tax relief for single parents. This is an additional
tax allowance of 1.908 euros. The amount of tax relief increases by 240 euros for each further child, starting
with the second child. The 1.908 euros in tax relief is automatically applied via filing status II, the tax
filing status for single parents. The increases for further children are, upon request, added to the
parent's wage-tax card as a tax allowance by the local Tax Office. Further information on the benefits and
assistance available can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and on the
"Familien-Wegweiser" site. You can also use the online tool provided by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs.
This allows you to enter a few details and find out which family benefits you may be eligible to receive.
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