Kindergeld in Germany 2026: €259 a month, payment dates

Updated:
07.10.2026

Kindergeld — a fixed monthly state subsidy for a child. This money represents the “child subsistence minimum” and is intended to cover the cost of supporting a child, including care, upbringing and education. All families in Germany receive child benefit (Kindergeld) regardless of their income.

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How much is Kindergeld and until what age is it paid?

Since January 2026, Kindergeld has been 259 € a month per child. The amount is the same for every child and does not depend on your income.
This money is paid for a maximum of the last 6 months before submitting the application, we recommend submitting the application as quickly as possible after moving.
Kindergeld is paid until a child turns 18. If the child is in education or training, payments can be extended up to the age of 25; if the child is looking for work and registered with the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter, up to the age of 21.

Kindergeld is a tax benefit. It serves to exempt from tax the subsistence minimum a child needs to live in Germany.

Requirements for child benefit payment

When is Kindergeld paid?

Familienkasse (family benefits office) sets the payment dates annually and they depend on the last digit of your individual Kindergeld number – from zero to nine in the format xxxFKxxxxx7, where 7 is your last digit. The number can be found in your documents from the Familienkasse.

If there are several children, there will be a single reference number and payments will be made on the same day.

We have already explained the difference between Kinderfreibetrag (child tax allowance) and Kindergeld in this article. In 2026 the Kinderfreibetrag together with the BEA allowance (for care, upbringing and education) comes to €9,756 a year per child (for both parents combined).

Payment dates for child benefit in Germany

The dates on which you will receive Kindergeld in 2026:

The number ends in 0

8 January
4 February
4 March
8 April
6th May
3 June
3rd July
5th August
3 September
5 October
4 November
3 December

The number ends with 1

8 January
6 February
5 March
9 April
7th May
8 June
6 July
6 August
7 September
6 October
5 November
4th December

The number ends in 2

9 January
10 February
6th March
13 April
8th May
9 June
7 July
7 August
8 September
8 October
6th November
7 December

The number ends in 3

13 January
12th February
9 March
14 April
12 May
10 June
9 July
10 August
10 September
9th October
10 November
8 December

The number ends in 4

14 January
13th February
10 March
15th April
13th May
12 June
10 July
12th August
11 September
12 October
11th November
9 December

The number ends in 5

15th January
16th February
11 March
16 April
18 May
15 June
13 July
14th August
15 September
13 October
12 November
10 December

The number ends with 6

16 January
17 February
12th March
17th April
19 May
16 June
14 July
17 August
16th September
15 October
13th November
11 December

The number ends with a 7

19 January
18 February
16 March
20 April
20 May
17th June
17 July
18 August
17th September
16 October
16 November
14 December

The number ends in 8

22nd January
19 February
17 March
21 April
21 May
18 June
20 July
19th August
18 September
19 October
17 November
15 December

The number ends in 9

23 January
20 February
20th March
23 April
22nd May
22 June
21 July
21st August
21 September
20 October
20 November
16th December

Clients with the final digit “0” receive payment at the beginning of the month. Then come the final digits 1, 2 and so on. Payment dates for customers with the final digit 9 fall in the second half of the month.

Important: Receipt of funds may be delayed on weekends and public holidays. You have no legal right to the transfer of your benefits on a specific day of the month.

With your first payment you will receive the full monthly amount, even if your entitlement to these benefits is met only on the last day of the month. For example, your child is born on 30 March. Then the following applies: you will receive the full child benefit for March.

You can submit an application (Antrag) for Kindergeld online on the website of the Arbeitsagentur (Federal Employment Agency). You can find out more about Kindergeld on the official website.

If you put Kindergeld aside for your child’s future, first take a look at our overview of insurance and savings for children: not everything sold as a “children’s” product is something your child needs.