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A look inside
This safe preview shows what the tool is for without running account-only actions.
What Child Benefit or Allowance Check does
For every child you receive child benefit, 259 euros a month in 2026. There is also the child allowance including the allowance for care and education, together 9,756 euros per child for both parents in 2026. You do not get both: the tax office calculates whether the allowance saves more tax than the child benefit is worth. Only then is it deducted, and the child benefit is added back to the tax.
On ordinary incomes the child benefit usually wins. Above a higher taxable income the allowance saves more. For a married couple with two children the break-even in 2026 lies between 60,000 and 100,000 euros of taxable income. The check tells you which side you are on and how many euros are at stake.
You enter your taxable income, the number of children and whether you file jointly. Anyone assessed alone gets half the allowance per child, and only half the child benefit counts in the comparison. It uses the official tariff under Section 32a of the Income Tax Act.
The second part compares joint and separate filing for married couples and registered partners. Honestly: on the tariff alone, joint filing is never more expensive. Separate filing can pay off only in special cases, such as parental or unemployment benefit under the progression proviso, losses or a severance payment. The check does not model these cases, but it says so openly.
You can calculate for 2026 or 2027. For 2027 the tariff, child benefit and child allowance come from the government draft and are marked as preliminary. The calculation runs on our server and nothing is stored. This is not tax advice but an honest decision aid.
Features
Real Günstigerprüfung
Child benefit against child allowance under Section 31, with the euro lead of the better side.
Joint or alone
Full allowance when filing jointly, half the allowance and half the child benefit when filing separately.
Joint or separate filing
Comparison on the tariff with an honest note on when separate filing can matter at all.
Official tariff under Section 32a
Basic allowance 12,348 euros (2026), child benefit 259 euros, child allowance 9,756 euros per child.
Nothing stored
The calculation runs on the server; your figures are not stored.
How it works
- 1
Choose the year
Calculate for 2026 or 2027 - for 2027 with preliminary values from the government draft until the law is passed.
- 2
Enter income and children
Enter the taxable income from your tax assessment, the number of children and whether you file jointly.
- 3
Read the result
You see whether the child benefit or the allowance wins and by how many euros a year.
Who needs this
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to apply for the child allowance?
No. You file the "Anlage Kind" with your tax return and the tax office checks the rest automatically. The check shows you the outcome in advance.
Do I lose the child benefit if the allowance is better?
No. You keep the child benefit. The tax office deducts the allowance and adds the child benefit back to the tax. You get the difference through the tax return.
When does separate filing pay off?
Never on the tariff alone. It can pay off in special cases, for example if one partner receives parental or unemployment benefit, has large losses or gets a severance payment. The check does not calculate these cases. If in doubt, have them checked.
What is taxable income?
The amount left after work expenses, special expenses and allowances. It is in your tax assessment. For the child benefit comparison use the amount before child allowances.
Is this tax advice?
No. The check uses the official tariff and your inputs. It replaces neither the tax assessment nor tax advice.
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