Child benefit for over 18-year-olds - when is entitlement?

Child benefit for people over 18 and up to the age of 25 will continue to be paid under certain conditions. What those are and how you can take advantage of tax benefits. find out here.

Over 18 and still child benefit?

Many parents know from personal experience: the bigger and older the children get, the higher they get costs. Many young adults are still students or studying at 18 or older. Training, especially studying, is expensive. It would be annoying if state support for parents would then cease to exist. According to the Munich IFO Institute, 100 billion euros flow into child-related support in Germany every year. Not only parents of underage children benefit from this.

Child benefit payment also possible up to 25

For parents, reaching the age of majority does not automatically mean that child benefit for children over the age of 18 is automatically canceled or the loss of tax benefits. Under certain conditions, both are granted up to the age of 25. An important innovation has been in effect since January 1st, 2012. If the child benefit was previously dependent on the child not earning more than 8,004 euros in the calendar year, this limitation is no longer applicable. The following prerequisites must be fulfilled so that the one that actually expires on the 18th birthday Entitlement to child benefit there is also:

If the child is unemployed after leaving school, the child benefit is paid until the child reaches the age of 21.
For disabled children, child benefit is paid indefinitely if the disability occurred before the age of 25.
If the offspring is in vocational training, the voluntary social year, in transition or waiting periods, the legislature provides support until the age of 25.
Decisive for the payment of the child benefit for over 18 year olds is the fact whether the child is in the first or in the second education. The initial training is still too given, if there is a change of subject. However, the master’s course is to be regarded as secondary education, since the bachelor’s degree means a completed vocational education.
Income from semester or holiday jobs no longer leads to any restrictions, just as regular employment with no more than 20 working hours per week.

Child benefit plus tax benefits

In addition to the monthly direct payment of child benefit, you as parents are also indirectly supported by the tax return. You can list the following allowances in your tax return.

On the one hand, this includes the child tax allowance of 4,368 euros (joint assessment of parents), or 2,184 euros for a separate assessment.
On the other hand, parents can still claim the BEA tax-free allowance (childcare, education, training) at € 2,640 (€ 1,320). Child allowance and BEA allowance only apply if they exceed the child allowance actually paid. The tax office automatically carries out the cheaper check.
Is your child in the Training and lives abroad, in addition the training allowance applies with 924 euros annually (462 euros with separate assessment).
School fees can be set at 30 percent, up to a maximum of 5,000 euros per year in the tax return. Single parents are also granted a relief allowance of EUR 1,308 p.a. supports.

Waiting times do not affect child benefit

If the offspring has a longer break, for example due to an advanced school-leaving certificate in one federal state and a late start to the semester in another federal state, this does not endanger the state benefits. This transition period is limited to four months on the one hand, but if your child conclusively proves that they have sought an apprenticeship position during this time, no cuts will be made.

Child benefit for over 18-year-olds – when is entitlement?

Child benefit payment also possible up to 25

Child benefit plus tax benefits

Waiting times do not affect child benefit

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