The subsidy is intended to ensure that families do not have to rely on SGB II benefits.
You must disclose your income and assets, as well as submit an application to the family benefits office in order to receive the child allowance.
Children are not cheap. This is particularly noticeable for low-income earners who manage on their own, but with children are dependent on financial support. In contrast to child benefit However, not everyone is entitled to the child benefit supplement .
But what is the child supplement actually? How the calculation works? What are the minimum and maximum income limits?
In our article, we take a closer look at the child allowance, which you can apply for at the family benefits office. You learn, When it makes sense to file an application and How long you can receive the child supplement.
1. Apply for the child supplement – this is how it works
Make the application directly, as there is no retroactive payment.
Provided you go to work and earn an income too low to support your family, you can apply for the child benefit supplement. Specifically, the following requirements apply:
- the children living with you are under 25 years old and not yet married
- You receive child benefit
- with your work you reach the minimum income limit of 600 euros if you are a single parent or. 900 Euro as a couple
- due to the benefits of the child allowance as well as the housing allowance you are not dependent on unemployment benefit II
In addition to these minimum requirements, however, there are also upper limits on the maximum amount you may earn per month. If you meet these sog. If you exceed the maximum income limit, you will no longer be entitled to increased child benefit at all.
The minimum income is calculated according to your monthly gross income. Sickness benefits as well as unemployment benefits I are also counted as income.
You can apply for the child allowance at your family benefits office. You can download the corresponding form here.
1.1. Calculate the maximum income limit
Attention: The maximum income limits only apply until 31.12.2019. With the beginning of the calendar year 2020, these will be abolished.
If your income is too high, you will not receive a child benefit subsidy.
The maximum income varies, so it must be determined individually for each case. The following criteria are taken into account when determining the limit:
- the standard requirement according to. the SGB II
- Proportionate costs for housing and heating
- the amount of the child supplement
Since 01 January 2009, the standard requirement has been.01.2018 nationwide at the following values:
- for single parents: 416 euros
- for parents living together as a couple: 748 euros
- children under the age of six: 240 euros
- Children between 6 and 14 years: 296 Euro
- Young people from 15 years until you are of age: 316 euros
- adult children up to a maximum of 25 years: 332 euros
Since housing costs in rural and urban areas sometimes vary greatly, the actual costs are used for calculation purposes. For each child, the share that the parents or parents of the child receive decreases. a single parent contributes to the housing costs.
The following table gives you an overview of the costs to be taken into account for a household:
| single with one child | 77,24 % |
| single parent with two children | 62,92 % |
| alone with three children | 53,08 % |
| Couples with one child | 83,25 % |
| Parents with two children | 71,30 % |
| Parents with three children | 62,36 % |
To make the calculation a little easier for you, let’s look at the following example: Let’s assume you live together as a couple, have two children and pay 700 Euro rent per month.
For yourself, 748 euros is considered the standard requirement. To this must be added the housing portion, which is 71.3% of 700 euros, i.e. 499.10 euros. Then add the child supplement of 170 euros per child. This results in a total amount of 1.587,10 Euro (748 Euro + 499,10 Euro + 340 Euro).
For your family to receive the child supplement, your total income in this example case must be between 900 euros and 1.587,10 Euro.
Tip: Due to additional needs regulations, the maximum income limit may be somewhat higher. If you find that your income is within this range, it is worth applying for the child allowance.
1.2. SGB II benefit or child supplement – both are not possible
Children with their own income:
If your children are already somewhat older and earn something themselves or you receive alimony, this amount will be deducted from the maximum child supplement of 170 euros.
The child supplement is intended to help families to get by without the social security system. If, although you earn supplementary income from the child allowance, you are dependent on benefits under the Second Social Security Code, you will no longer be entitled to the child allowance.
However, you do not have to be afraid, because in this case you are entitled to benefits according to SGB II. The basic security therefore applies in any case.
If you are not dependent on receiving social security benefits due to receiving the child supplement, you are still entitled to other benefits available. These are:
- Support for school or kindergarten trips
- personal school supplies up to 100 Euro per year
- Travel costs to school
- Tutoring costs
- Subsidies for lunch
- Subsidies for club memberships (sports, music, etc.).) in the amount of 10 euros per month
2. Reduction of the child supplement
The higher your income is, the lower the child supplement will be.
As soon as you earn the more money than you need to cover your living expenses, this is very pleasing for the time being. Unfortunately, this automatically leads to a reduction in the child supplement paid out.
The amount of the child supplement therefore initially changes gradually until you are no longer entitled to it if you have a sufficient income.
Make sure that you inform the family benefits office of any changes in your personal or family circumstances. communicate your economic circumstances. Thus avoid overpayments, which you would have to pay back later. If there are no changes, the authorities will check your information every six months.
The granting of the child supplement is thus, unlike the payment of child benefit, only for a short period of time.
So that you retain the incentive to earn more, will be deducted from the 01.01.2020 only 45% of the supplement you earn additionally will be reduced (previously 50%). Let’s assume you now earn 200 euros more per month, the child supplement will be reduced by a maximum of 90 euros per month.
3. Receive the child supplement despite owning a house
As a rule, you do not have to give up your own home.
In order for you to receive the child supplement, not only must your current income fit. In addition, the Familienkasse takes your assets into account in the calculation. Depending on how high this is, it must first be used up before you can apply for the child allowance.
If your assets are too high and you do not receive a child supplement, you will not receive any benefits according to SGB II either.
The amount that is disregarded as assets increases over the course of your life. It is for you as well as your adult children at least 3.100 euros. If you are older, the amount increases by 150 euros per year. This money should remain as an emergency reserve for you.
The maximum amount is currently 10.050 Euro per person.
Additionally you may adequate old-age provision of 750 euros per year of life have a child, which is not taken into account. The maximum amount is about 50.000 euros.
If you own a property, you can usually keep it without reducing your entitlements. The only exception is if the house is unreasonably large. In this case, you have the obligation to sell your property and to invest in an appropriate home or a new one. move into a rented apartment.
Currently, real estate up to a size of about 130 m² and a property area between 500 and 800 m² are considered appropriate. However, the age as well as the condition of the property are also taken into account.