How we calculate — and how we test that it's right
You don't have to take our word for it. Every figure in the calculator shows its working. Here's how we test.
How we test
- Wage tax comes from the German finance ministry's own program. In the version the law prescribes for your year of birth.
- We test against the federal Elterngeld calculator. Automatically, with hundreds of households, after every change.
- Every reported discrepancy becomes a test. And stays in our test suite for good.
Where we deliberately calculate differently
- Maternity pay. We deduct it day by day (§ 3 BEEG). The federal calculator states that it isn't included in its total.
- Military or civilian national service. Those months don't count for us, as § 2b BEEG provides. The federal calculator has no such ground.
- Tax class. We use the class that counts under § 2c(3) BEEG: the one on the last payslip, unless another applied in more months than any other; a tie goes to the last payslip. The federal calculator asks for the class you had longest. And we calculate the deadline for a switch and what it's worth in euros.
- Private health insurance. For privately insured parents, we include no health or long-term care share in the wage-tax calculation, as § 2e(2) BEEG provides. The federal calculator treats everyone as statutorily insured.
- Minijob limit. We use the limit that applied in each month: €556 in 2025, €603 in 2026, €633 in 2027 (§ 2f BEEG). The federal calculator uses €538 for every birth.
- Health insurers' additional contribution. In the 2026 wage-tax program we use that year's average additional contribution, 2.9%. The federal calculator uses 2.5%.
- Premature birth. If a baby is born at least six weeks early, there are up to four extra months (§ 4(5) BEEG). We include them; the federal planner always allows 12 plus 2.
- Partner months. If only one of you had income before the birth, the two partner months require that parent to take two months themselves (§ 4(3) BEEG). We take that into account; the federal planner does not.
- Months of life. We count them as the law does (§§ 187, 188 BGB). It only makes a difference for births on the 29th to 31st of a month.
Everywhere else, our result has to match the official calculator exactly.
Results we show even when they earn us nothing
- “Switching tax class would not change your Elterngeld. You do not need to do anything.”
- “Your plan is already the best one we found.”
- “We cannot fill in the paper form for your federal state. You apply through your state's own service.”
What happens to what you type
Your salary data is processed exclusively on your device and never leaves it. The calculation runs in your browser. There's no account, no analytics and no third-party scripts, so there's no cookie banner either.
If you buy the plan dossier, we store your email address for the invoice and confirmation. More in the privacy notice.
What this is not
- Not advice. Nobody looks at your case; the calculation is automatic. Your Elterngeldstelle advises free of charge.
- Not a filing service. You sign and send the application yourself.
- Not for everyone yet. We don't calculate self-employed or mixed income.
The calculation basis is stated at the bottom of every page. Changelog