Will my parents still get the child subsidy if I have my own contract?

Last updated: 12 October 2026 · under the rules from 1 January 2027 · Publisher: INTERNA · responsible: Marc A. Schnitzler, in mortgage financing since 2005

Yes. As long as your parents receive child benefit (Kindergeld, the monthly state payment for children) for you, the child subsidy of up to €300 a year stays in one parent’s contract, if that parent is eligible and has their own contract. Your own contract also gets the basic subsidy, up to €540 a year for €150 a month. Your family then gets the subsidy twice for you.

Two contracts, two subsidies

	one parent’s contract	your contract
Subsidy for you	child subsidy up to €300 a year, as long as child benefit is paid	basic subsidy up to €540 a year for €150 a month
Condition	the parent is eligible and pays in at least €25 a month	you pay into the pension insurance, for example in in-company vocational training or in a mini-job (Minijob, a small job with a low wage) at a company
Starting bonus	no	a one-off €200 if you are under 25 at the start of the year

Example: you are doing an apprenticeship and pay in €50 a month. Your contract gets €240 basic subsidy and, in the first year, a €200 starting bonus. Your father or mother continues to get up to €300 child subsidy for you. Together that is up to €740 from the state for you in the first year.

How long child benefit is paid

Usually until you are 18. During training or university studies, child benefit is paid at most until 25. If you have already completed training or a degree and are doing a second one, child benefit is only paid as long as you do not work more than 20 hours a week. A mini-job is not a problem. As long as child benefit is paid, the child subsidy is paid too.

Which parent gets the child subsidy

If your parents are married and live together, the child subsidy goes to your mother in 2027 and from 2028 normally to the parent who receives the child benefit. In both cases, if both parents want it to go to the other parent, they tell the provider together. If they are not married, the parent who receives child benefit gets it. This parent needs their own subsidised contract.

Does anything change about child benefit?

No. Your own contract does not change anything about your parents’ child benefit.

How much subsidy does your household get? The subsidy calculator works out in one minute how much subsidy you can get. An advisor then checks with you whether everything fits your situation. This conversation is free of charge and in English.