One month of Basiselterngeld can be converted into two months of ElterngeldPlus. Without income after birth, the monthly Plus amount is half the Basis amount.
With income after birth, Plus is calculated from the income difference and capped at half the Basis amount you would receive without that income. It is therefore not always half of the actual Basis payment. The minimum is €150 and the maximum €900 before bonuses.
Two big advantages:
1. Time flexibility: ElterngeldPlus can be received until your child turns 32 months (vs only 14 months for Basiselterngeld). This lets you stretch your parental leave much longer.
2. Part-time math: If you earn income while on Elterngeld, your payment gets reduced. With ElterngeldPlus, this reduction is often smaller relative to what you're gaining from working. The result: more total money in your pocket.
Part-time work can make ElterngeldPlus more valuable over the full claim period, but hours alone do not determine the result. The Elterngeldstelle compares standardized income before and after birth and applies the individual Plus cap.
A reliable comparison therefore needs both income figures and the planned number of Basis and Plus months. A guessed payment based only on weekly hours can be far off.
You don't have to choose one or the other exclusively. Many families do something like:
The key is matching the type to what you're actually doing: Basiselterngeld when you're home full-time, ElterngeldPlus when you're working part-time. Not sure which earns more in your case? Calculate your amount for both scenarios.
In the first 14 life months, you can interrupt and resume later. From the 15th life month, interruptions are not allowed – you must receive continuously (ElterngeldPlus or Partnerschaftsbonus), or the remaining months are forfeited. However, you can alternate with your partner.
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