German Parental Allowance Calculator 2026 (Elterngeld)

Mothers and fathers are entitled to Elterngeld if they care for and raise their children themselves after the birth, work no more than 32 hours per week, live in the same household as their child, and have their residence or habitual abode in Germany. This applies to employees, civil servants and the self-employed, and under certain conditions also to students and trainees.

Basic parental allowance is paid for a maximum of 12 months. If both parents apply for Elterngeld and at least one parent has less income than before the birth for at least two months, two additional partner months are granted (14 months in total). One parent can receive basic parental allowance for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 months. Single parents can claim the full 14 months.

ElterngeldPlus is a variant of the parental allowance for parents who want to work part-time after the birth. It amounts to half the basic parental allowance but is paid for twice as long. One month of basic parental allowance can be converted into two months of ElterngeldPlus. This lets you combine parental allowance with part-time work and receive ElterngeldPlus for up to 24 months in total.

The partnership bonus offers up to four additional months of ElterngeldPlus per parent. The condition is that both parents work part-time between 24 and 32 hours per week at the same time. The bonus months must be taken consecutively and can flexibly cover between two and four months. Single parents can also use the partnership bonus.

Yes, you may work up to 32 hours per week while receiving parental allowance. However, the additional earnings are offset against the Elterngeld: it is then calculated as the difference between your income before the birth and your income during the payment period. Different offsetting rules apply to basic parental allowance and ElterngeldPlus. Since 2024 there are also income limits for Elterngeld eligibility (200,000 € taxable income for couples, 150,000 € for single parents).