Bemessungszeitraum
Elterngeld for a second child: does leave with the first one count?
It depends. Only months in which you received Elterngeld within the older child's first 14 months of life are skipped, a little longer after a premature birth. Earlier months count instead. Parental leave without Elterngeld, and Elterngeld after that time, do count, as months with little or no income.
Work out which months count for us
Free, no account. Only the plan dossier, your plan as a PDF, costs €14.90, once.
These months are skipped
Normally the twelve months before the month of birth count. Months don't count if they had
- maternity pay or maternity protection, for this child or an earlier one (not for civil servants and soldiers: their pay continues during maternity protection, so those months count),
- Elterngeld for an older child within that child's first 14 months of life (longer after a premature birth),
- income lost through a pregnancy-related illness,
- military or civilian national service.
For every skipped month, an earlier one counts. But you can apply for skipped months to count after all, for example if you earned well in them (§ 2b(1) sentence 3 BEEG). The calculator works out both and then points you to the place in the application form.
Your tax-class deadline moves too
If you're married and thinking about switching: the deadline moves back with these months.