Parents now receive child benefit in two stages without having to apply

2026-08-01

Parents in Germany are set to receive Kindergeld (child benefit) without submitting an application under a major reform aimed at cutting bureaucracy and simplifying financial support for families.

The new system will be introduced in two stages. In the first phase, expected from March 2027, families welcoming a second or subsequent child will automatically receive child benefit because the Familienkasse (Family Benefits Office) can use information already stored from their first child.

The second phase is scheduled to begin in November 2027, when automatic payments will also be extended to first-born children. If the Familienkasse does not already have parents' bank account details, it will be able to obtain the necessary information through the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (Federal Central Tax Office) identification database, allowing payments to be processed without requiring a standard application.

However, not every family will qualify for automatic payments. Parents may still need to submit an application in cases where eligibility is unclear, such as when separated parents share custody, important information is missing, or the family lives abroad while working in Germany. The automatic process will only be used when all relevant information is available, eligibility is beyond doubt, and a valid bank account is on record.

The reform has already been approved by the Bundestag (German Federal Parliament) and is designed to make government support faster and easier to access while reducing administrative work. Before the new rules can fully take effect, they still require approval from the Bundesrat (Federal Council). If implemented as planned, millions of parents will no longer have to complete paperwork to receive one of Germany’s most important family benefits.