Elterngeld: when it arrives and why the day moves
Enter your child's birth date: the tool shows each month of life, with start and end, during which Elterngeld is paid.
Born 15 November 2026: month of life 1
15 Nov – 14 Dec
Elterngeld is paid during the month of life it covers (s. 6 BEEG); there is no fixed day.
| Month of life 2 | Tue 15 December – Thu 14 January |
| Month of life 3 | Fri 15 January – Sun 14 February |
| End of month of life 14 | 14 January 2028 |
| Month of life | From | To | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun 15 November | Mon 14 December | 30 |
| 2 | Tue 15 December | Thu 14 January | 31 |
| 3 | Fri 15 January | Sun 14 February | 31 |
| 4 | Mon 15 February | Sun 14 March | 28 |
| 5 | Mon 15 March | Wed 14 April | 31 |
| 6 | Thu 15 April | Fri 14 May | 30 |
| 7 | Sat 15 May | Mon 14 June | 31 |
| 8 | Tue 15 June | Wed 14 July | 30 |
| 9 | Thu 15 July | Sat 14 August | 31 |
| 10 | Sun 15 August | Tue 14 September | 31 |
| 11 | Wed 15 September | Thu 14 October | 30 |
| 12 | Fri 15 October | Sun 14 November | 31 |
| 13 | Mon 15 November | Tue 14 December | 30 |
| 14 | Wed 15 December | Fri 14 January | 31 |
Prepared by Radif Partners · Method · dates and statutes checked on 28 October 2026
Elterngeld, Germany's parental allowance, has no fixed payment day in the calendar month. Section 6 of the Parental Allowance Act (BEEG) says it is paid during the month of life it covers, and months of life start on the child's birthday, not on the 1st. A child born on 15 November 2026 has its first month of life from 15 November 2026 to 14 December 2026, its second from 15 December 2026 to 14 January 2027. The money arrives at some point in that window; many parental allowance offices transfer it at the start of the month of life, but there is no common date. The first payment only comes after the decision, with earlier months paid in arrears. Under section 7 BEEG the office pays back only for the three months of life before the month your application arrives. Basic Elterngeld runs up to month of life 14 under section 4, ElterngeldPlus up to month 32 at most. The tool above lists every month of life for your child.
Months of life for an example child
For a child born on 15 November 2026, the table shows the first six months of life. One monthly amount is paid within each window, as section 6 BEEG provides.
| Month of life | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun 15 November | Mon 14 December |
| 2 | Tue 15 December | Thu 14 January |
| 3 | Fri 15 January | Sun 14 February |
| 4 | Mon 15 February | Sun 14 March |
| 5 | Mon 15 March | Wed 14 April |
| 6 | Thu 15 April | Fri 14 May |
Basic Elterngeld and ElterngeldPlus
Under section 4 BEEG parents together are entitled to twelve monthly amounts of basic Elterngeld, fourteen with partner months; it can be drawn until the end of month of life 14. Instead of one month of basic Elterngeld, you can take two months of ElterngeldPlus, up to month of life 32 at most. The payment principle stays the same: each monthly amount belongs to one month of life. The tool lets you switch between the two.
The application sets the start
Elterngeld is only paid on written application, and under section 7 BEEG only for three months of life back. If you apply in the fifth month of life, you lose the first. Kindergeld runs separately through the Familienkasse; dates by last digit are on Kindergeld payment dates. Families on low incomes may also get Kinderzuschlag and housing benefit.
Your child's months of life
Born 3 January 2027: month of life 1
3 Jan – 2 Feb
| Month of life 2 | Wed 3 February – Tue 2 March |
| Month of life 3 | Wed 3 March – Fri 2 April |
| End of month of life 14 | 2 March 2028 |