Without application
The Bundestag has decided: child benefits will be paid automatically in the future
Updated July 9, 2026 – 3:48 pm.Reading time: 3 min.
Family at breakfast: In the future, parents should automatically receive child benefit. (Source: svetikd/getty-images-bilder)
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The federal government wants to cut bureaucracy. It also includes a measure that many parents should benefit from.
This should be a “real benefit” for hundreds of thousands of parents. That’s what she promises Federal government. In several stages In the future, child benefit will have to be paid “in advance” – without an applicationso no documents. According to the bill that the Bundestag approved this Thursday, families should experience noticeable relief, especially during the delicate stage associated with the birth of a child and starting a family. This is exactly what we are talking about.
Child benefit: who gets how much?
Last year, the Family Fund paid out around 55 billion euros in child benefits to 17.57 million children. All parents who are tax payers in Germany and who have a child under 18 years of age living here or in another EU country are usually entitled to this. Special rules apply for children during training.
Regardless of income, child benefit is currently €259 per month per child. It is paid to the person who regularly cares for the child. According to the Ministry of Finance, in three out of four cases they are transferred to the mother’s account.
The black-red coalition said it would increase child benefits. It is expected that in 2028 it will be increased in two stages to 272 euros, as stated in a recent document from the Ministry of Finance on the results of the work of the coalition committee.
What do you need to do now and why should it change?
So far the way it works is that anyone who has a child registers it with the registry office, and in some cases hospitals do this for new parents as well. It gives the child tax IDfor which you need to apply for child benefits from the family fund. The application can be submitted in writing or electronically. Currently, child benefit is paid only upon application.
Critics of the current system say it is too difficult for many families, especially soon after the birth of a child. At this time, you have completely different things on your mind. In addition, the forms are so complex that many applications are submitted too late. They argue that automatic payment of child benefits could make life easier for both authorities and families.
The State Welfare Commission, set up by the federal government, recommended that child benefits be paid in the future without prior application. “This saves time and effort for citizens,” the statement said.
How will child benefit be paid in the future?
When registering a newborn, the registry office will, as before, inform the Federal Central Tax Inspectorate – and it will then independently inform the family foundation. A prerequisite for automatic payment is that the state knows the bank account details (IBAN) of at least one parent. Families who disagree can change it. You can already see the account details, for example Report via Elster tax portal.
The law is planned to come into force in early January 2027. Two stages are planned. According to the bill, the first stage of expansion includes the birth of the second child and beyond, since the family trust can continue to use the known data on first-born children. In the second phase of expansion, the procedure will be expanded to include first-born children.