Kinderzuschlag (child supplement)
Kinderzuschlag 2026: how much?
Kinderzuschlag is at most 297 € per child a month (§ 6a Abs. 2 BKGG). This includes the immediate supplement of 25 € (§ 6a Abs. 2 Satz 4 BKGG).
The maximum applies as long as neither the child nor the parents have income that has to be taken into account. Otherwise it is reduced.
Which amount is approved in the end is calculated by the Familienkasse from the details in the application.
Why it is often less
Two kinds of income reduce the amount:
- Income of the child, such as maintenance or an advance maintenance payment, reduces Kinderzuschlag by 45 per cent of that amount (§ 6a Abs. 3 Satz 3 BKGG).
- Earned income of the parents only reduces it in so far as it exceeds their own needs — then by 45 per cent of the excess (§ 6a Abs. 6 Satz 3 BKGG).
Other income of the parents, such as a pension, reduces Kinderzuschlag in full (§ 6a Abs. 6 Satz 3 BKGG).
An example of how income of the child works out. It is a sample calculation, not a calculation of an entitlement.
| Income of the child per month (example) | Kinderzuschlag is reduced by |
|---|---|
| 100 € | 45 € |
| 200 € | 90 € |
| 300 € | 135 € |
As long as income does not exceed the needs
Kinderzuschlag is paid in full as long as the parents' income does not exceed their own needs and they have no assets to be taken into account (§ 6a Abs. 5 BKGG).
The parents' needs are measured by Grundsicherungsgeld, that is by the standard needs and housing costs.
For which period
Kinderzuschlag is decided for 6 months at a time (§ 6a Abs. 7 BKGG). What matters is the average income of the 6 months before that (§ 6a Abs. 8 Satz 1 BKGG).