Eine Schwangerschaft ist nicht nur eine einzigartige Erfahrung, sie kann auch rechtliche und soziale Fragen aufwerfen und wichtige Entscheidungen nötig machen. Einige dieser Entscheidungen solltest oder musst du vor der Geburt treffen. Für andere kannst du dir bis nach der Geburt deines Kindes Zeit lassen. Nützliche Beratung dafür findest du bei den Frühen Hilfen. Dort kannst du dich nicht nur besonders gut informieren. Du erhältst auch Unterstützung, wenn dich die vielen Fragen und formalen Schritte überfordern. Rat findest du auch bei den Behörden deines Wohnorts, die für werdende Mütter und Eltern zuständig sind.

Maternity leave offers a special protection for workers who are pregnant or breastfeeding. This is ensured by legal regulations, which are regulated in the Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz). The law ensures that employers comply with maternity leave periods (Mutterschutzfristen) and observe certain employment restrictions. It stipulates that you get maternity benefits (Mutterschaftsleistungen) to replace your income. The law also deals with workplace health protections. That's why you should let your workplace know that you're pregnant in a timely manner. Only then can your manager ensure that your work does not pose a risk to you or your pregnancy.

If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot support yourself and no one else can help you, you can apply for social assistance (Sozialhilfe). These are known as subsistence benefits, which the Social Welfare Office (Sozialamt) uses to pay for your running costs for food, accommodation, clothing or personal hygiene, for example. This may also include benefits for education and participation for children. Under certain conditions, the Social Welfare Office also covers the costs of one-off purchases such as the initial things required for setting up your household or in the case of pregnancy and childbirth. In addition to subsistence benefits, there are also other social assistance benefits. This includes help to overcome particular social difficulties, help with health, care and integration. Social assistance is available in cash or in kind, but also in the form of services such as counselling and personal assistance. These forms of assistance should enable you to get to a point where you can help yourself again.

You've just survived childbirth and get to take your newborn baby home. You'll already have to start dealing with the authorities. One of the most important documents you need to take care of is the official birth certificate issued by the registration office (Geburtsurkunde). To be able to apply for it, you need the initial certificate issued by the hospital, birth centre or doctor, which, in Germany, is something like an initial birth certificate.

Women who work are generally entitled to maternity benefits (Mutterschaftsleistungen) for six weeks before and eight weeks after giving birth. Maternity benefits in Germany include three types of cash payments you can get instead of your salary while you're on maternity leave. Which one you get depends on your work situation, your health insurance, and whether your maternity leave period (Mutterschutzfrist) has begun. In most cases, you will receive maternity pay (Mutterschaftsgeld) from your health insurance company and a maternity pay supplement from your employer. If you are not allowed to work before the start or after the end of the maternity leave period because of a restriction on employment (Beschäftigungsverbot), your workplace must pay you what is known as ‘maternity allowance’ (Mutterschaftslohn).

If you are fit for work and your income or assets are not sufficient to cover your living expenses, you can apply for basic security benefits for jobseekers. In Germany, this is also called Hartz IV. The prerequisite is that you are not receiving the help you need from relatives or from providers of other social benefits. Basic security benefits are essentially meant to just tide you over. The Jobcenter usually assumes that you are available for work. You must therefore be prepared to look for a job, to have the Jobcenter find you a job, or to take part in further training or retraining. Pregnant people are subject to slightly less strict rules than other jobseekers.

For large families and single parent households alike, homes can quickly become too small when a newborn child is added. Your income must also be enough for another child. If you have a low income and if you have either rented a larger home or are short on rent because your expenses have increased, you can apply for a housing benefit at your local Housing Benefits Office. If your application for a housing benefit is approved, then as a tenant you will receive a subsidy towards your rent. If you own an apartment or house that you use yourself, you can get a subsidy towards the burden of interest, debt repayment or maintenance costs. Those who receive housing benefits or a children’s allowance (Kinderzuschlag) can benefit from another program: what’s known in Germany as an ‘education package’. It includes grants for many activities that will help your child develop.

Many babies are born a few days before the calculated due date. This is perfectly normal. However, if your baby was born before the 37th week of pregnancy or weighed less than 2500 grams at birth, they are considered premature. This not only changes your living situation, but also some of the key data regarding your social security. For example, to adjust your maternity leave period (Mutterschutzfrist) or maternity pay (Mutterschaftsgeld), you need a certificate. It's called a certificate of premature birth.

According to the Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz), you should inform your superiors as soon as you know you are pregnant. But you're not obligated to. Many pregnant people give notice at work at the beginning of the second trimester after the sensitive first twelve weeks of pregnancy.

Parents often have quite a lot of expenses for their children. Fortunately, there are various types of financial support available. There are child benefits (Kindergeld) and the children’s allowance (Kinderzuschlag). You must apply for both. The third option is the child tax credit (Kinderfreibetrag), which you can claim instead of child benefits. Which option is better for you depends on your income. If you have a high income, the tax-free child tax credit is usually preferable. Don't worry, you don't have to figure this out yourself. The Taxation Authority (Finanzamt) will do it for you.

For heterosexual married couples, the issue of paternity is quite simple. If a woman has a child, her husband is automatically the legal father. It is different for unmarried couples, however. Then the biological father is not automatically the legal father. To be acknowledged as such, he must officially acknowledge paternity. That is, he must have it publicly recorded with an official governmental agency. Many hetero couples choose to do the paternity recognition (Vaterschaftsanerkennung) before the birth. However, it is also possible to do it any time afterwards. Recognition before birth has the advantage that the father is entered on the birth certificate and in the birth register at the same time. If this happens later, the civil registration office (Standesamt) has to issue a new, corrected certificate, which costs extra.

There are various situations in which people are not allowed to work during pregnancy or after childbirth, or not to the same extent as before pregnancy. This is because of certain working conditions that are not compatible with the welfare of pregnancy and childbirth and therefore lead to employment restrictions. These restrictions are regulated by law and are intended to protect you and your child. In addition, there is the sick leave approved by doctors. The type of restriction or sick leave depends on the situation. All pregnant people are subject to employment restrictions during the maternity leave period (Mutterschutzfrist) in the six weeks before the birth and the eight weeks after. However, during the maternity leave period before childbirth, the prohibition against working is not absolute. If you want, you can still work during that time. After birth, on the other hand, working is not allowed no matter what. If your child was born before the 37th week of pregnancy or with an illness, then the ban on employment after birth is extended to twelve weeks.

You can get financial support for several months after your child is born if you look after them yourself and do not have a full income during this time. This support is called parental allowance (Elterngeld). It's supposed to replace your normal income during this time. Parental allowance is primarily intended for parents who take parental leave (Elternzeit). You do not have to claim parental allowance in one go. You may pause it and you may receive it at the same time as or overlapping with your partner. How you divide these months among yourselves is up to you. You do not have to start receiving parental allowance without any gaps until your child is 15 months old, otherwise the months that are still available to you will expire. If you want to apply for parental allowance (Elterngeld), there are a few things to consider.

Custody governs who has responsibility for a child. This involves, for example, the question of who legally represents the child. Do you want to do this alone or together with your partner? Custody regulates, among other things, who is allowed to make important medical decisions for a child, or who is responsible for questions relating to daycare or school attendance. Also, if financial matters relating to the child need to be resolved, the person with custody decides. In addition, custody is a custodial obligation. It doesn't end until your child reaches the age of majority at 18. The people who have custody over a child are also responsible for ensuring that the child grows up safely and without abuse.

As a student or trainee with one or more biological children, you can receive a childcare supplement per child and month in addition to your BAföG or your vocational training allowance (Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe) (BAB) under certain conditions. This amount is a full grant paid as a lump sum. That means you don't have to prove anything or pay anything back (§ 14 b BAföG). If your spouse or partner is also entitled to receive the BAföG childcare supplement and you share a household, you will need to discuss who should receive the money. This is because the state pays the childcare supplement only to the parent with whom the child lives.

Regardless of whether it's a kindergarten or a nursery school, professional care for young children costs money. Luckily, there are several offers and options to help you financially with these expenses. Expenses for babysitters, an au pair or a childminder are also considered care costs. What financial aid you are eligible for depends on your personal situation as well as where you live.

Sometimes there is not enough money to pay for all the expenses that are necessary during pregnancy. Then you can apply for financial support from the Federal Foundation of Mother and Child. You can only make this request at a counseling centre for pregnant people. The foundation's grants are intended to ease any possible fears pregnant people with money troubles may have about the financial burdens of being a parent and can help them to better support themselves and their child.

Instead of a Basic Parental Allowance (Basiselterngeld), you can also receive Parental Allowance Plus (ElterngeldPlus). It is only half the amount of the Basic Parental Allowance, but is paid for twice as long, up to 24 months. Parental Allowance Plus is ideal if you would like to return to work soon after giving birth and work part-time, for example. It gives you the opportunity to work up to 30 hours a week without having your parental allowance reduced straight away. In contrast, with the Basic Parental Allowance, every Euro you earn is deducted. Thus, hardly any of the allowance remains. It is best to contact your local parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle) before you give birth. They can advise you on which variant of the parental allowance is best for you and what effect your income has on the amount you can receive. That's helpful because there's a lot to keep in mind when you're applying for a parental allowance (Elterngeld).

Self-employed people are also entitled to parental allowance (Elterngeld). To calculate the amount of the allowance, however, it is not the last twelve calendar months before the birth that count, but rather the last completed calendar year before the birth. You may work up to 30 hours per week while receiving a parental allowance. To do this, you must confirm in writing that you will adhere to the specified weekly hours. In addition, your parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle) needs an approximate estimate of what income you expect to receive during the period in which you get a parental allowance. After this period, you must submit an income statement to the parental allowance office. You must then declare all the income you have earned during the parental allowance period. The age of your child is decisive for this. The best thing to do is contact the parental allowance office before your baby is born and ask for advice.

It is best to contact your local parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle) to get advice about parental allowance (Elterngeld) and parental leave (Elternzeit) before your baby is born. The parental allowance office advisers can tell you what information you need to clarify now and what you can decide later. You can also get information about how to get the highest parental allowance. After all, there are a few stumbling blocks that can cost parents real money. If you want, the advisers at the parental allowance office will fill in the application form with you. On the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs (Bundesfamilienministerium) website, there is also an Elterngeld parental allowance calculator which you can use to find out how much parental allowance you will receive: https://familienportal.de/familienportal/rechner-antraege/elterngeldrechner

After the birth of your child, you are entitled to up to three years of parental leave (Elternzeit). This is unpaid time off from work. Your employer must release you from work for this period if you wish. During this time, however, you will not receive a salary. To compensate, you can apply for parental allowance (Elterngeld) for a limited time. Both mothers and fathers can take parental leave. You can also take parental leave at the same as a couple time, or just one of you at a time. The best thing to do is to contact your local parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle) during your pregnancy and get advice on parental leave and parental allowance.

If you are single and expecting a child or have already given birth, you can apply to the Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) for a legal guardianship (Beistandschaft). A guardian can help you and your baby with paternity acknowledgment (Vaterschaftsanerkennung) and child support issues if you want them to. This help is optional and free of charge. You will also be officially informed about this option. If you are not married to the baby’s biological father, then the registration office (Standesamt) will inform the team of the support services at the local Youth Welfare Office about your situation as soon as your baby is born. They will then take the initiative to offer you advice and support. For example, the guardian can represent your baby in court if the child's father refuses to acknowledge paternity or refuses to pay child support. This will reduce the stress on you as you won't have to go through any legal battles alone.

You are a single parent and does your child’s other parent not pay child support? Or they pay only in part and not regularly? Then your child has what translates to a ‘limited financial livelihood’. To compensate for this disadvantage, you can apply for an advance on child support payments at the Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt). If the requirements are met, the Youth Welfare Office can take over the task of paying the child support that should actually be contributed by the other parent. The Youth Welfare Office then tries its best to get back the advance payments from the other parent. In principle, children are entitled to child support from their parents until they turn 18.

Cooking, shopping, washing, cleaning and taking care of children - all this can be exhausting during pregnancy, even under normal circumstances. If your pregnancy is then affected by an accident, illness or a complication such as premature labor, then everyday life threatens to collapse. If you have statutory health insurance or family insurance and no other person living in your household can continue to run the household, it is possible to apply for free home assistance under certain conditions. Depending on the situation, a home aide will support you for two or more hours a day with everything that comes up in everyday family life. If needed, it is best to contact your health insurance provider as early as possible. The staff there can tell you whether you are entitled to household assistance and where and how you can apply for this type of help.

If your baby is born with a serious illness or disability, or becomes seriously ill or disabled over time, they may need more care than a healthy baby. If this increased need for support is expected to last for more than six months, you can apply for help from social long-term care insurance. There are several ways to arrange for your child to be cared for at home. Accordingly, you can also get different types of benefits. On the one hand, you can have money paid out. On the other hand, you can also take advantage of additional or substitute help from an outpatient care service. In addition, you have the option of paying for a person to support you in the household or to look after your child at times via long-term care insurance.

From birth, all people in Germany have the right to participate in the life of the community. They should not be excluded. That's what the Basic Law, Germany’s constitution, says. Therefore, people with disabilities and people at risk of becoming disabled have a legal right to certain forms of assistance in order to integrate into the community.

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Finances and documents

Documents

Financial Support

Maternity and parental leave

All articles on this topic

Behördengänge vor und nach der Geburt

Maternity Leave

Social Assistance (Sozialhilfe)

Birth certificates

Maternity Benefits (Mutterschaftsleistungen)

Basic Security Benefits for Jobseekers

Housing Benefits

Certificate of Premature Birth

Reporting Pregnancy at Work

Child Benefits (Kindergeld), Child Tax Credit (Kinderfreibetrag) and Children’s Allowance (Kinderzuschlag)

Paternity Recognition (Vaterschaftsanerkennung)

Employment Restrictions (Beschäftigungsverbot) and Sick Leave

Parental Allowance (Elterngeld)

Custody and Declaration of Custody (Sorgeerklärung)

Extra child care allowance for students and trainees (Kinderbetreuungszuschlag)

Childcare Costs

Financial Aid From the Federal Foundation for Mother and Child

Parental Allowance Plus (ElterngeldPlus)

Parental allowance (Elterngeld) for self-employed people

Claiming Parental Allowance (Elterngeld)

Claiming Parental Allowance (Elterngeld)

Parental leave (Elternzeit)

Legal Guardianship (Beistandschaft)

Advances on Child Support

Domestic Assistance

Home Care For Children

Participation Benefits for Children With Disabilities