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Kindergeld or Kinderfreibetrag Germany

Kindergeld or the child allowances: which one counts for us?

Example

Kindergeld wins

€3,108
Kindergeld is paid every month either way. With the return the tax office checks whether the allowances would have saved more; if so, the family gets the difference.As of · 2026 Kindergeld and child allowances

Your income and your children

Taxable income: after work expenses and provisions, before the child allowances.

Kindergeld wins

€3,108 The Kindergeld of the year is worth more than the tax the allowances would save. Nothing changes with the return; the Kindergeld stays.
Kindergeld in the year€3,108€259 a month per child
Income tax the allowances would save€3,006allowances of €9,756 per child
Where the allowances start to win€86,106taxable income a year, for this household

What this answers

Whether the tax office applies the allowances instead of the Kindergeld

Income tax only. The solidarity surcharge and church tax are always computed with the allowances deducted, whichever side wins, so a higher earner gains a little more than shown.

Nothing to apply for

The office checks it with every return

Kindergeld comes from the Familienkasse. The comparison happens on its own in the tax assessment; the Anlage Kind is what it needs.