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Elterngeldstelle (parental allowance office)

Elterngeld Rückforderung (repayment demand): what you can do

What this letter means

A Rückforderung (repayment demand) usually follows a provisional decision (vorläufige Bewilligung). After the payment period, you prove your actual income. If it was higher than expected, you are entitled to less Elterngeld and you pay back the difference (§ 26 Abs. 2 BEEG in connection with § 328 Abs. 3 SGB III).

The calculation is not made month by month. For all months with Basiselterngeld, the average income in those months counts. The same applies to ElterngeldPlus.

If the decision was final and later turns out to be wrong, the Elterngeldstelle can cancel it under §§ 45, 48 SGB X and demand the money back under § 50 SGB X. A Widerspruch (objection) does not stop the repayment demand (§ 13 BEEG).

What to do now

  1. 1Write down the date of the decision, the date the deadline ends and the payment date.
  2. 2Check which income was used for the payment period.
  3. 3Compare it with your payslips or your Einnahmen-Überschuss-Rechnung (simple profit calculation for self-employed people).
  4. 4Check that income was assigned to the correct month.
  5. 5File a Widerspruch (objection) if the calculation is wrong. Write it in German. The templates (Vorlagen) on this site are in German.
  6. 6If you cannot pay all at once, ask early for Ratenzahlung (payment in instalments) or Stundung (deferral of payment).

How you can reply

File a Widerspruch (objection)

If income was counted wrongly or assigned to the wrong months.

Template: Widerspruch gegen einen Bescheid (Jobcenter, Krankenkasse)

Ask for Ratenzahlung (instalments) or Stundung (deferral)

If the demand is correct but you cannot pay straight away. Write to the Elterngeldstelle in German and explain your financial situation.

Common questions

I earned exactly as much as I said. Why do I have to pay back?

Check whether one-off payments, back payments or, for self-employed people, payments received for old invoices were counted. In an Einnahmen-Überschuss-Rechnung, the date the payment is received is what counts.

Do I have to pay even though I filed a Widerspruch?

Yes, as a rule. For Elterngeld, a Widerspruch and a Klage (court action) have no suspensive effect (§ 13 BEEG).

What happens if I do not send any proof?

The Elterngeldstelle then cannot make a final decision in your favour. This can lead to a repayment demand. So send the proof completely and on time.

Sources (German law and official pages)

  1. § 26 BEEG: Anwendung der Bücher des Sozialgesetzbuches
  2. § 328 SGB III: Vorläufige Entscheidung
  3. § 13 BEEG: Rechtsweg
  4. § 45 SGB X: Rücknahme eines rechtswidrigen begünstigenden Verwaltungsaktes
  5. § 48 SGB X: Aufhebung bei Änderung der Verhältnisse
  6. § 50 SGB X: Erstattung zu Unrecht erbrachter Leistungen
  7. § 84 SGG: Frist und Form des Widerspruchs
  8. Familienportal des Bundes: Arbeit und Einkommen mit Elterngeld

Research as of: 10 November 2026