Kindergeld payment dates 2026 and 2027: when child benefit arrives in Germany

How the payment schedule works

Germany does not pay Kindergeld (child benefit) to everyone on the same day. The Familienkasse, the family benefits office of the Federal Employment Agency, spreads the payments over the month according to the Endziffer, the last digit of your Kindergeldnummer (child benefit number). Endziffer 0 is paid first, at the start of the month, and Endziffer 9 last¹.

Your Kindergeldnummer is printed on your approval letter (Bewilligungsbescheid), on every letter from the Familienkasse and in the payment reference on your bank statement. It is not your Steuer-ID (tax ID), and neither your IBAN nor your child's birthday affects the date.

Payment dates for November and December 2026

These are the official dates published by the Familienkasse¹. Every family receives the December payment by 16 December 2026, before the Christmas holidays. There is no extra or double payment in December.

Kindergeld payment dates 2027

The Familienkasse has already published the full 2027 calendar¹. First half of the year:

Second half of 2027:

Note January: payments only start on 8 January 2027, so if you rely on Kindergeld for rent or direct debits at the start of the month, plan a buffer. The dates are the same in every federal state; there is no separate schedule for Berlin, Bavaria or North Rhine-Westphalia.

When does the money show up in your account?

Kindergeld is only paid by bank transfer, never in cash. The Familienkasse says the amount is credited during the transfer day¹. Depending on your bank, especially app-based banks, it may appear in the afternoon or evening. Weekends and public holidays shift the dates, which is why the gaps between digits differ from month to month.

There is no legal right to receive Kindergeld on a particular day of the month¹. The law only says it is paid monthly, from the month in which the conditions are met until the month in which they end³. Treat the published date as the expected day, not a guarantee, and schedule payments that depend on it a few days later.

How much will you receive?

In 2026 Kindergeld is €259 per child per month, the same for every child and independent of your income³. The January 2026 increase was applied automatically to existing claims⁵.

The 2027 figures come from the government's draft Income Tax Reform Act 2027, which the Bundestag debated at first reading on 8 October 2026⁶. It still needs parliamentary approval, so budget with €259 until the law is final.

Example: Priya and Daniel have two children and their Kindergeldnummer ends in 3. They receive €518 on 10 November and on 8 December 2026, and the first payment of 2027 arrives on 14 January.

Your first payment and back payments

Your first transfer after approval may arrive outside the usual rhythm, because the Familienkasse may pay several months at once. For the month in which entitlement starts, such as the month of birth, you receive the full monthly amount even if your child was born on the last day of that month¹.

Back payments are limited to the six months before the month in which your application arrives⁴. If you have just moved to Germany or had a baby, apply straight away. If you hear nothing for six weeks after applying, you can call the Familienkasse². Who qualifies and how to apply is covered in our main Kindergeld guide for expats.

Kindergeld has not arrived: what to do

1. Check that your Endziffer's date has actually passed, and wait until the end of that day.

2. Make sure the Familienkasse has your current IBAN. If you switched banks and only told your bank, the transfer will bounce.

3. Check your post. For children over 18, payments often stop because a school, training or university certificate is missing⁷.

4. Look for a decision ending the payment, for example because your child turned 18 or 25, finished training, or moved abroad⁸.

5. Call the free payment information line 0800 4 555533, or +49 911 12031010 from abroad, with your Kindergeldnummer ready¹.

6. If a decision is wrong, file an objection (Einspruch) within one month; a phone call does not count as one².

Only give bank details to the Familienkasse through its official channels. Be suspicious of unexpected calls, texts or e-mails about "missing payments" that ask for your account details.

Kinderzuschlag and other payments

The Kinderzuschlag (child supplement for low-income families) is paid by the Familienkasse on the same day as Kindergeld, using the same last digit¹. It requires a separate application; check your chances with the Kinderzuschlag calculator or read the guide to Kinderzuschlag. Housing benefit (Wohngeld) and citizen's income (Bürgergeld) come from other authorities and follow their own schedules; the benefits finder shows which support may apply to you.

Information current as of 6 November 2026.