You work in Germany, and your children go to school in Poland? This is the most common – and often misunderstood – scenario of family benefits in Polish-German families. The short version: Kindergeld is also due for children living in Poland (from 2026, it is 259 euros per month per child), but EU coordination decides which country pays "first" and which pays the differential amount over the Polish 800+. This guide explains the priority rules with specific examples, walks through the application to Familienkasse, and explains other German benefits – Elterngeld, Kinderzuschlag, and the reformed basic benefit from July 2026. All amounts verified in German legal texts.
Kindergeld 2026: Basics
- Amount: 259 euros per month for each child (from January 1, 2026; directly stated in § 66 EStG) – without an income threshold.
- Who receives it: a person living in Germany or subject to unlimited tax liability there – including a Pole employed in Germany. Note: newly arrived EU citizens without work have a 3-month waiting period; taking up employment waives it.
- Until when: until the age of 18; until 21 years with registered unemployment; until 25 years if the child is learning or studying – also in Poland; no limit for children with disabilities that arose before the age of 25.
- Formalities: application to Familienkasse (at Bundesagentur für Arbeit, also online); the applicant provides their German Steuer-ID, and the child living in Poland identifies "in another appropriate way" – in practice, by PESEL number and birth certificate (request a multilingual EU form from USC to save on translation).
Children in Poland: Who Pays First and What is Unterschiedsbetrag
The order of payments is determined by Regulation 883/2004 (Articles 67–68): priority is given to entitlements based on employment, and when parents work in two different countries – the first pays the country of residence of the children, if one parent works there; the second country pays the difference (Unterschiedsbetrag):
| Family Situation | Who Pays |
|---|---|
| Father works in Germany, mother works (or is insured) in Poland, children in Poland | Poland pays 800+ as the first, Germany pays the difference: 259 EUR minus the equivalent of 800 PLN – realistically about 70–80 EUR per month per child (depending on the exchange rate) |
| Only one parent is employed – in Germany (mother in Poland does not work and is not insured) | Germany pays the full 259 EUR; Polish 800+ is not available concurrently (coordination prevents double payments) |
| The whole family lives in Germany | Germany pays the full Kindergeld; 800+ from Poland is not available |
Be patient and gather documents: cross-border matters take significantly longer than domestic ones (often many months), as Familienkasse exchanges electronic SED documents with Polish institutions in the EESSI system, confirming employment and receiving 800+. The most common reasons for delays: lack of identification numbers, undocumented situation of the second parent, unresolved priority determination with ZUS. Respond to requests completely and on time; an Einspruch is available within a month from a denial decision. And do not listen to "advisors" who say not to mention children in Poland – concealment is fraud, and systems exchange data automatically.
Elterngeld: Parental Benefits Also for Poles
- Amount: about 65–67% of previous net salary, minimum 300, maximum 1800 euros per month; Basiselterngeld for 12 months (+2 partner months) or ElterngeldPlus at half the rate for twice as long.
- Conditions: you live in Germany (or are subject to German insurance), personally care for the child, and work a maximum of 32 hours/week; income limit: above 175,000 euros annual taxable income (combined for the couple) disqualifies from benefits.
- Cross-border scenario: Elterngeld is subject to EU coordination like other family benefits, but the condition of personal care over the child practically limits the option "father works in Germany, child with mother in Poland" – it is feasible, for example, for a parent to receive Elterngeld while being with the child during the care period. Consult your configuration with Elterngeldstelle before planning parental leave.
- Birth-related benefits: Mutterschaftsgeld from health insurance (13 EUR/day + compensation from the employer to the average salary during the protection period of 6 weeks before and 8 after childbirth).
Other Benefits – Quick Overview
| Benefit | For whom / how much |
|---|---|
| Kinderzuschlag | Supplement for working with lower incomes (minimum 900 EUR gross for couples / 600 EUR for singles): up to about 297 EUR/month per child (rate 2025; check 2026 in Familienkasse) – submitted together with Kindergeld |
| Basic Benefit (formerly Bürgergeld) | From July 1, 2026, Bürgergeld will be replaced by the reformed Grundsicherung – with stricter sanctions for lack of cooperation with Jobcenter. Key for Poles: employee status (even part-time, as long as not marginal) grants the right to supplements (“Aufstocker”) from day one; job seekers without employee status are excluded. Details in our guide on Bürgergeld (consider the name change from July 2026). |
| Wohngeld | Rent subsidy for working with lower incomes (does not combine with basic benefit) |
| Kita | Legal right to a care place from the child's 1st birthday (§ 24 SGB VIII); in some cities through a voucher system (Kita-Gutschein) |
| Unterhaltsvorschuss | Advance maintenance for single parents when the other parent does not pay: about 227/299/394 EUR per month depending on the child's age |
Action plan for fathers/mothers working in Germany: (1) gather numbers: your Steuer-ID (arrives by mail after Anmeldung), children's PESELs, birth certificates on multilingual EU forms; (2) determine the second parent's status in Poland (work/insurance/800+) – this affects who pays first; (3) submit the application to Familienkasse online and notify ZUS about the coordination; (4) do not give up on 800+ in Poland while waiting; (5) the basics of Kindergeld for families living in Germany are described in our guide on Kindergeld in Germany, and tax settlements (including Kinderfreibetrag) – in our guide on taxes between Germany and Poland.
Sources
| Source | Type | Status / Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| § 66 EStG – amount of Kindergeld (259 EUR) | Legal act | Primary source |
| § 62 EStG – who is entitled to Kindergeld | Legal act | Primary source |
| § 63 EStG – children in the EU count for Kindergeld | Legal act | Primary source |
| Your Europe: priority rules and differential supplement | Official page | European Commission |
| Familienkasse: Kindergeld in foreign matters | Official page | Bundesagentur für Arbeit |
| Familienportal: Kindergeld – official guide | Official service | Ministry of Family (BMFSFJ) |
| § 2 BEEG – amount of Elterngeld | Legal act | Primary source (also § 1 – conditions) |
| § 6a BKGG – Kinderzuschlag | Legal act | Primary source |
| § 7 SGB II – basic benefits and EU citizens | Legal act | Primary source (employee status) |
| § 24 SGB VIII – right to a place in Kita | Legal act | Primary source |
| European Commission: EESSI system (data exchange between institutions) | Official page | Primary source |
| BMAS: reform of basic benefit from July 1, 2026 | Official page | German Ministry of Labor |
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