Since this year, there has been a child benefit of 250 euros per child per month. With the age of majority, the payments end for the time being. In many cases, however, the money is passed on upon request.
Child benefit is an important financial support for many families. In many cases, families are entitled to child benefit beyond the 18th birthday of their daughter or son – with one exception, however, until their 25th birthday at the latest. Several conditions must be met for this. In addition, the money is only available upon application. And this application must be submitted to the family benefits office in good time. But when does an application have any chance of success?
Child benefit during training or studies
If an adult child begins an apprenticeship or studies after completing school, there are no problems with the continued payment of child benefit, according to a report by the German Press Agency (dpa). In the case of initial training, the benefits were maintained. According to the magazine Finanztest, initial training is not only the first training or university degree, but also further training phases that build on the first in terms of content.
If the child starts a second education after completing a first education, there is also still child benefit, it says the explanation – but only if the daughter or son does not work more than 20 hours a week at the same time. According to Finanztest, the next generation is also allowed to work a little more than 20 hours a week during initial training. According to the dpa report, it is also important for the approval of child benefit that the professional activity is not in the foreground. The main thing must therefore continue to be training or full-time study.
"Child benefit over 18" is only available on application
Child benefit beyond the 18th birthday is only available on application, informs the wage tax assistance (Lohi) Bavaria. "On the occasion of the 18th birthday, the child benefit department has stopped child benefit payments, unless an application for continued payment has been submitted," it says in their message. If it has been neglected to apply for the "child benefit over 18" for the last school year, this can still be done retrospectively, "at least for the past six months retroactively", according to the Lohi. To do this, parents should either use the form "Declaration on the circumstances of a child over 18 years of age" or choose the "faster online application" on the website of the employment agency. The child's living situation must be documented with a school certificate.
250 euros child benefit: With the age of majority, the payments end for the time being. In many cases, however, the money is passed on upon request. © Patrick Pleul/dpa
Transitional period
If the adult child starts vocational training or studies after graduating from high school after four free months at the latest, this transitional period is covered by child benefit, explains Lohi Bayern. The experts advise: "As soon as the training contract is signed, a copy of it should be sent to the family benefits office so that there is no interruption in child benefit payments." During the training, the payments continued until the 25th birthday, provided that the necessary proof was available in each case. "If the four-month transition period after graduation is exceeded, this is not a problem, as long as an apprenticeship is already secured."
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Prospective students would not have their matriculation certificates until the beginning of their studies – i.e. in the winter semester, usually not until October. "If it is reported after graduating from high school that the child wants to study, the payments will continue until the certificate of enrollment is available," explains Lohi. If the child has changed his mind in the meantime, the child benefit will be reclaimed. The experts advise: "If you want to be on the safe side because no final decision has yet been made, you can apply for child benefit retroactively in the fall if you have successfully enrolled at the university." Here, too, the child benefit is "retroactive for the last six months at most".
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Looking for an apprenticeship
If, despite all efforts, the adult offspring does not find a training place, the child benefit can still continue to flow, according to dpa. However, in this case, the child must be registered with an employment agency or a job center looking for a training place, according to the information on the website of the family fund. "In the case of an apprenticeship, it is crucial that the graduate personally registers with the career counselling service of the employment agency or a job centre as a training seeker," Lohi Bayern. The child benefit office is informed about this status via the declaration "Notification of a child without training or employment". "As long as the search for a training place is serious and can be proven by means of applications and rejections, the child benefit entitlement will be retained for the duration of the training search," says Lohi.
Waiting for the desired study place
Even students do not always immediately receive admission to their desired course of study. "Here, it is just as crucial for child benefit that feedback is given to the family benefits office," says Lohi Bayern. With the proven rejection of the study place, the child benefit entitlement is not lost, it says further in their announcement of 9 May. "Provided that you apply again in the summer semester. Students can then use the waiting time for an entire semester of study for any purpose, such as the development of their personality or for a trip around the world."
Volunteer
For adult children, as the dpa report explains, there is still child benefit even if the offspring does voluntary service. For example, a Voluntary Social or Ecological Year. "But other offers may also be eligible for support," the article says. Parents should inform themselves about appropriate options in good time. "To ensure that there is no interruption in payments, the contract should be submitted promptly to the family benefits office," Lohi Bayern also notes.
Internship related to the desired profession
Is the adult child already practicing for the desired profession after finishing school? Then there will also continue to be child benefit, writes dpa. According to the family fund, however, it is important that the internship has a professional connection to the desired profession. The experts at Lohi advise you to contact the career counselling service in advance in any case. "Longer-lasting internships are supported by child benefit for up to twelve months, but only if they are necessary for study or work," they said in a statement. "Of course, this must be proven on the basis of the study regulations or the job description. In this case, the internship contract and the training content can also be submitted to the family benefits office. Anyone who voluntarily gains professional experience must accept an interruption in child benefit."
In the event of unemployment
Even if an adult child is unemployed and registered as a job seeker at an employment agency or job center, there is still child benefit, as dpa also reports. "But only up to the age of 21."
