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Elterngeldstelle (parental allowance office)

Elterngeldbescheid (parental allowance decision): what to check

What this letter means

In the Elterngeldbescheid (parental allowance decision), the Elterngeldstelle decides for which months of your child's life you receive Basiselterngeld (basic parental allowance), ElterngeldPlus or the Partnerschaftsbonus (partnership bonus), and how much.

The amount is based on your income before the birth. Mistakes often happen when choosing the months that count for the calculation, or with income from self-employment.

If the decision says "vorläufig" (provisional), you must prove your actual income after the payment period ends (§ 8 Abs. 1 BEEG). Only then is the final calculation made.

What to do now

  1. 1Write down the date of the decision and the date the deadline ends.
  2. 2Check which months before the birth were counted as the assessment period (Bemessungszeitraum).
  3. 3Compare the income used in the decision with your payslips or your tax assessment.
  4. 4Check that the chosen months and the type of Elterngeld are correct.
  5. 5If the decision says "vorläufig", collect all proof of income from the payment period.
  6. 6File a Widerspruch (objection) if something is wrong. Write it in German. The templates (Vorlagen) on this site are in German.

How you can reply

File a Widerspruch (objection)

If the income, the assessment period or the payment months are wrong.

Template: Widerspruch gegen einen Bescheid (Jobcenter, Krankenkasse)

Request Akteneinsicht (access to your file)

If you want to see the calculation in detail (§ 25 SGB X).

Template: Akteneinsicht bei einer Behoerde beantragen

Submit an Überprüfungsantrag (request for review)

If the deadline for the Widerspruch has passed and the decision was wrong (§ 44 SGB X).

Common questions

Why was my Elterngeld only granted provisionally?

Usually because you expect income during the payment period or because the tax assessment for the time before the birth is missing (§ 8 Abs. 3 BEEG). After the payment period, the Elterngeldstelle makes the final calculation.

Do payments continue during the Widerspruch?

You are paid what the decision says. For Elterngeld, the Widerspruch has no suspensive effect (§ 13 BEEG).

Which court is responsible if the Widerspruch fails?

The Sozialgericht (social court) (§ 13 BEEG). Parents do not pay court fees there (§ 183 SGG).

Can I write my Widerspruch in English?

Write it in German. German authorities work in German, so a letter in German is the safest way to make sure your reply is understood and processed. The templates (Vorlagen) on this site are in German.

Sources (German law and official pages)

  1. § 8 BEEG: Auskunftspflicht, Nebenbestimmungen
  2. § 13 BEEG: Rechtsweg
  3. § 84 SGG: Frist und Form des Widerspruchs
  4. § 37 SGB X: Bekanntgabe des Verwaltungsaktes
  5. § 25 SGB X: Akteneinsicht durch Beteiligte
  6. § 44 SGB X: Rücknahme eines rechtswidrigen nicht begünstigenden Verwaltungsaktes
  7. § 183 SGG: Kostenfreiheit für Versicherte und Leistungsempfänger
  8. Familienportal des Bundes: Arbeit und Einkommen mit Elterngeld

Research as of: 10 November 2026