For families in Germany who already have a child

With a second child, Elterngeld is decided before you get pregnant.

Parental leave, part-time work and maternity protection all fall inside the months your next Elterngeld is calculated from. Knowing which of them count and which can be taken out changes how you plan.

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The Bemessungszeitraum when you already have a child

Twelve months count towards the calculation. Months in which you received Elterngeld for your first child, or were under Mutterschutz, can be excluded on request – earlier months, when you were earning your full salary, then move into the window instead.

Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
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Dec
Jan
Feb
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Apr
♥ Birth
3 months move in
Elterngeld, child 1
Mutterschutz

counts towards the calculation moves into the window can be excluded

Illustrative example. Which months count in your case depends on your situation and the rules in force at the time.

Why the maths is different for a second child

Before your first child there were usually twelve ordinary working months. Before your second, those same months hold your family life – which makes planning harder and the room to manoeuvre bigger.

  • Months with Elterngeld for your first child

    Under certain conditions these can be taken out of the assessment period. The window then shifts further back, into months when you were earning your full salary.

  • Working part-time during parental leave

    For many families, going back part-time is the right call. For the calculation, though, these are full months with a small income. Knowing that early lets you think differently about when the next pregnancy fits.

  • Maternity protection and pregnancy months

    These are treated separately within the assessment period too. If your children are born close together, several such periods can overlap.

  • Sibling bonus (Geschwisterbonus)

    It depends on how many children of what age live in your household. The gap between births and the timing of your Elterngeld months therefore interact.

What actually moves the number

There is no single secret trick. There are legal ways to shape your situation which – depending on your circumstances – affect either the calculation or the planning.

Assessment period

The calculation does not simply take some average. Which months are counted is often the single biggest lever.

Income before the birth

The relevant employment income in the counted months sits at the centre of the calculation – including the question of what counts as income at all.

Employed or self-employed

Different rules apply to the relevant period. Pay particular attention if you have self-employed income alongside a job.

Basiselterngeld or ElterngeldPlus

More money per month is not automatically the better strategy. What matters is how you want to combine income, parental leave and childcare – with two children, often across a longer stretch of time.

Splitting months between parents

Who takes Elterngeld when, who works part-time, which months are already taken up by maternity benefits? Good planning looks at your whole financial situation during parental leave, not just the highest monthly payment.

The most expensive mistake: starting too late

Many decisions cannot be reversed after the birth. If you are planning another child or are already pregnant, it is worth working out:

  • which assessment period applies to you
  • which months from your first parental leave can be excluded
  • which income is taken into account
  • what applies if one of you is self-employed
  • how Mutterschutz and Elterngeld interact
  • whether and for how long the sibling bonus applies to you
  • which split fits your daily life with two children
  • which documents you will need later

The Elterngeldtrick Guide

The key rules, levers and pitfalls, explained clearly in one place – instead of 30 open tabs, statutory texts and forum threads.

  • The assessment period, explained simply
  • What changes with a second child
  • Basiselterngeld and ElterngeldPlus compared
  • Employees and the self-employed
  • The sibling bonus, explained clearly
  • Common mistakes made before the birth
  • Worked calculation examples
  • Checklist for your planning
  • Checklist for the application
  • Strategies for couples
  • Key deadlines at a glance

Download the eBook straight away

Please note: right now this guide is written in German – the button below buys the German PDF/ePub. It uses plain language and the official German terms you will meet on the Elterngeld forms, explained as you go, so many non-native readers manage it well. An English edition is in preparation and will be sold separately once it is ready; this page will be updated with a direct link at that point.

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Who the guide is for

  • You are planning a second or third child.
  • You are pregnant and preparing your next parental leave.
  • You are working part-time and wondering what that means for your next Elterngeld.
  • You want to know whether and for how long you qualify for the sibling bonus.
  • One of you is self-employed or has self-employed income on the side.
  • You are working out how to divide the Elterngeld months between you.
  • With your first child the planning happened on the side – this time you want to do it properly.

Frequently asked questions

Is there really an "Elterngeld trick"?

"Elterngeldtrick" is our name for the legal options you have when you plan your situation early. It is explicitly not about misleading the authorities, hiding income or making false statements.

Is the guide written in English?

Currently the guide itself is in German; buying it today gets you the German PDF/ePub. It is written in plain language and uses the official terms you will find on the application forms, explained along the way. An English edition is in preparation and will be listed here as a separate product once it is available – this page is in English so you can decide whether the German content is right for you in the meantime.

Will the guide guarantee me more Elterngeld?

No. A higher payment cannot be guaranteed. The guide helps you understand the rules, spot the room you have to manoeuvre, and avoid common planning mistakes.

When should I start looking into this?

Ideally while you are still planning your family, and at the latest early in pregnancy. With a second child, several factors relate to periods well before the birth – sometimes still during your first parental leave.

Does this apply if we are expecting our first child?

Yes. All the fundamentals are covered. A separate chapter deals with what changes from the second child onwards – useful even with a first child if you are planning more.

Do I need to be a German citizen to receive Elterngeld?

No. Entitlement depends primarily on your residence and your residence status, not on citizenship. EU citizens and many people with a residence permit that allows employment are generally entitled. Because the details vary considerably by permit type, check your specific case with your Elterngeldstelle.

How much Elterngeld can I get?

The actual amount depends on your individual situation and on the statutory rules in force at the time. The calculation should therefore always be based on the current official rules.

Does the guide replace professional Elterngeld advice?

No. The content is general information and does not replace individual legal, tax or Elterngeld advice. For complex cases you should seek professional advice.

How do I receive the eBook after buying?

The purchase is handled by Digistore24. Straight after payment you receive an email with the download link for PDF and ePub. If nothing arrives, please check your spam folder or get in touch.

Understand first. Then plan.

Ten minutes of reading can make the difference months later. Get informed before the periods that matter are already in the past.

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Elterngeld beim zweiten Kind verstehen

Das Elterngeld fürs zweite Kind ist oft niedriger als erwartet – weil Elternzeit und Teilzeit genau in den Berechnungszeitraum fallen. Hier findest du alle Erklärungen.

Welcher Fall trifft auf dich zu?

👩‍💼 Angestellt, war in Elternzeit

Elterngeld und Mutterschutz im Bemessungszeitraum – Ausklammerung möglich?

 ⏱ In Teilzeit zurückgekehrt

Wie wirkt sich Teilzeit auf das zweite Elterngeld aus?

 📊 Angestellt + selbstständig

Mischeinkünfte und die besonderen Regeln beim Bemessungszeitraum.

 🔧 Selbstständig

Veranlagungszeitraum, Gewinn statt Umsatz und was sich beim zweiten Kind ändert.

Typische Situationen

Vereinfachtes Beispiel 1

Vollzeit → Elternzeit → Teilzeit → Kind 2

Anna arbeitete Vollzeit, nahm 14 Monate Elterngeld und kehrte in 60 % zurück. Nach 18 Monaten Teilzeit plant sie Kind 2. Durch Ausklammerung verschiebt sich der Bemessungszeitraum weit zurück.

Zeitachse ansehen →

Vereinfachtes Beispiel 2

Kurzer Abstand – Geschwisterbonus greift

Kind 1 ist 20 Monate alt, Kind 2 kommt. Geschwisterbonus gilt (Kind 1 unter 3 Jahren). Elterngeld-Bezugsmonate für Kind 1 fallen fast vollständig in den Standardbemessungszeitraum – und können ausgeklammert werden.

Geschwisterbonus erklärt →

Vereinfachtes Beispiel 3

Anstellung + Nebengewerbe

Marc ist angestellt und hat daneben ein kleines Gewerbe mit echten Einnahmen. Bei der Elterngeldberechnung liegt möglicherweise eine Mischeinkünftesituation vor.

Mischeinkünfte erklärt →

Alle Themen im Überblick

Bemessungszeitraum prüfen →