How much is the child supplement in 2026?

At most 297 € per child a month, including the 25 € immediate supplement. The amount has applied since 1 January 2025 and is unchanged in 2026, because under § 6a (2) BKGG it never falls below the previous year. Together with child benefit of 259 €, families get up to 556 € per child. The child's own income and parental income above the parents' own needs reduce the amount.

Who is entitled to the child supplement?

Parents who receive child benefit for an unmarried child under 25 living in their household, have at least 900 € gross a month (single parents 600 €) and, with the child supplement, child benefit and any housing benefit, do not need basic income support. If no more than 100 € is missing, extended access still allows the child supplement as long as the parents have earned income.

How is the child supplement calculated?

The family benefits office starts with 297 € per child and deducts 45 % of the child's income, e.g. maintenance or advance maintenance. It then compares the parents' adjusted income with their needs: standard rate, any additional need for single parents and a fixed share of the rent including heating. If income is higher, every euro of earned income reduces the child supplement by 45 cents, other income by a full euro.

Is there a maximum income limit for the child supplement?

Not a fixed one. The child supplement runs out once the parents' countable income exceeds their needs by more than the maximum amount divided by 0.45. With one child that is 660 € above the needs, with two children 1,320 €. How much gross pay that is depends on rent, number of children and tax class. The calculator shows your personal limit.

Which share of the rent counts towards the parents' needs?

Rent including heating is split according to the 12th subsistence minimum report. Single parents with one child bear 77 %, with two children 63 %, with three 53 %, with four 46 % and with five 40 %. For couples it is 83, 71, 62, 55 and 50 %. The rest counts as the children's housing need and is covered by child benefit and the child supplement.

Is maintenance or advance maintenance counted?

Yes, but only at 45 % and only against the child supplement of the child it is paid for. If a child receives 299 € advance maintenance, its child supplement falls by 134.55 € to 162.45 €. In 2026 advance maintenance is 227 € (age 0 to 5), 299 € (6 to 11) and 394 € (12 to 17). You must claim priority entitlements to maintenance or advance maintenance, otherwise there is no child supplement for that child.

Child supplement or basic income support – which is better?

Your numbers decide, not you. If your income plus child supplement, child benefit and housing benefit covers the whole family's needs, you get the child supplement and the job centre is not responsible. If more than 100 € is missing or you have no earned income, basic income support (formerly citizen's income) is the right route. You cannot get both at the same time.

Which benefits come on top of the child supplement?

With the child supplement your children are entitled to education and participation benefits: 195 € school supplies per school year (130 € for the first and 65 € for the second half-year), free lunch at daycare and school, full costs of trips and class trips, school transport, tutoring and 15 € a month for clubs, music or sport. You can also apply to the youth welfare office to be exempted from daycare fees.

For how long is the child supplement granted?

For six months from the month in which you apply. It is not paid retroactively. It is based on the average income of the six months before the application. If your income changes during the six months, the amount stays the same. Afterwards you submit a new application, which can be done online with the family benefits office.

Do savings count for the child supplement?

Only substantial assets. They count only above 40,000 € for the applicant and 15,000 € for each further family member, so 85,000 € for a family of four. Owner-occupied property, reasonable household goods, a reasonable car per person able to work and subsidised pension savings are not counted.

Where do I apply for the child supplement?

With the family benefits office (Familienkasse) of the Federal Employment Agency, most easily online. Beforehand you can check with the office's KiZ-Lotse whether you might be eligible. You need payslips for the last six months, your tenancy agreement or service charge statement and proof of maintenance or advance maintenance. The service number 0800 4 5555 30 is free of charge.

Child Supplement for Single Parents: Maintenance, Advance Maintenance and Additional Needs | Child Supplement Calculator

For single parents the child supplement is particularly attractive: the minimum income is lower, the additional need raises their own needs, and maintenance counts at only 45 %. As of October 2026.

Lower minimum income

Single parents only need 600 € gross a month, couples 900 €. A part-time job is usually enough. Child benefit, housing benefit and the child supplement do not count, maintenance paid to you yourself does.

Additional need for single parents

Besides the standard rate of 563 €, the needs include an additional amount under § 21 (3) SGB II:

36 % of the standard rate (202.68 €) with one child under 7 or with two or three children under 16,
otherwise 12 % per minor child (67.56 €), if that gives more,
at most 60 % (337.80 €).

On top comes the housing share: 77 % of rent incl. heating with one child, 63 % with two and 53 % with three. Higher needs mean your income is deducted later.

Maintenance and advance maintenance: only 45 %

Maintenance from the other parent and advance maintenance (Unterhaltsvorschuss) are the child's income. They reduce that child's supplement by 45 %, no more. Advance maintenance in 2026 is:

Age	Advance maintenance	Reduction (45 %)	Remaining supplement
0 to 5	227 €	102.15 €	194.85 €
6 to 11	299 €	134.55 €	162.45 €
12 to 17	394 €	177.30 €	119.70 €

The amounts are the 2026 minimum maintenance (486 €, 558 € and 653 €) minus full child benefit of 259 €. Important: you must actually claim maintenance or advance maintenance. If you do not, the family benefits office pays no child supplement for that child. How much maintenance should be paid is shown by the child support calculator.

Example: mother with two children

A mother lives with two children (5 and 9) in a flat costing 650 € rent incl. service charges plus 90 € heating. She earns 1,800 € gross, 1,340 € net. For the children she receives advance maintenance of 227 € and 299 €.

Countable income: 1,340 € minus the 378 € allowance = 962 €.
Needs: 563 € standard rate plus 202.68 € additional need plus 63 % of 740 € (466.20 €) = 1,231.88 €.
Income is below the needs, so nothing is deducted.
Child 1: 297 € minus 45 % of 227 € = 194.85 €. Child 2: 297 € minus 45 % of 299 € = 162.45 €.
Child supplement: 357.30 €, rounded 357 € a month.

On top come 518 € child benefit and housing benefit, plus education and participation benefits. Work through this example in the calculator and adjust it to your figures.

Shared care

If a child lives roughly half the time with each parent, only the parent who receives child benefit gets the child supplement. In the needs test only half of the child's standard rate and half of the additional need then count, while housing costs still count in full. The calculator does not model shared care; ask the family benefits office in that case.

Spousal maintenance counts in full

If you receive maintenance from a former partner yourself, it counts as other parental income. If your total income is above your needs, the excess is first assumed to be caused by earned income, so it reduces the child supplement by only 45 %. Only if the maintenance alone already exceeds your needs is the excess part deducted in full.

*Sources: § 6a BKGG; § 21 (3) SGB II; child supplement leaflet of the family benefits office, July 2026; 2026 minimum maintenance regulation. As of October 2026.*

Child Supplement for Single Parents: Maintenance, Advance Maintenance and Additional Needs

Lower minimum income

Additional need for single parents

Maintenance and advance maintenance: only 45 %

Example: mother with two children

Shared care

Spousal maintenance counts in full

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