Working While on Elterngeld: One Average for All Months

Elterngeld Help·Reviewed 31 October 2026

Key takeaways

•If you earn money in some Elterngeld months, the Elterngeldstelle does not calculate each month on its own (§ 2 Abs. 3 Satz 3 BEEG).
•It averages your income over all Basiselterngeld months with income, and separately over all ElterngeldPlus and Partnerschaftsbonus months with income.
•Months without income are calculated separately and are not part of the average.
•One month with high earnings therefore lowers Elterngeld in every other month of the same type that has income.
•The amount stays provisional. After the last month, you prove your actual income and the Elterngeldstelle settles the difference (§ 8 BEEG).

One average, not month by month

When you have income from work during Elterngeld, your Elterngeld is based on the difference between your income before the birth and your income in those months (§ 2 Abs. 3 BEEG). That second figure is an average:

•All life months in which you take Basiselterngeld and have income form one group.
•All life months in which you take ElterngeldPlus or Partnerschaftsbonus and have income form a second group.

Within each group, all months are treated as one unit, even if they are not consecutive. Your income is added up and divided by the number of months with income. Months without any income are calculated on their own and get your full Elterngeld for that type.

Example

Before the birth, your Elterngeld-Netto was 2,000 €, so your replacement rate is 65 percent.

›Life months 1 to 6: Basiselterngeld, no income. You get 65 percent of 2,000 €, so 1,300 € a month.

›Life months 7 to 12: ElterngeldPlus with part-time work. You earn 1,000 € in four months and 1,600 € in two months.

›Average for the ElterngeldPlus months: (4 × 1,000 € + 2 × 1,600 €) ÷ 6 = 1,200 €.

›ElterngeldPlus in each of these six months: 65 percent of (2,000 € − 1,200 €) = 520 €.

Calculated month by month, the four lower months would have paid 650 € and the two higher months 260 €. With the average, all six months pay 520 €.

What this means for your planning

•A single month with overtime or extra hours raises the average and lowers Elterngeld in all other income months of the same type.
•Even a small income turns a month into an income month and pulls it into the average. Minijob pay counts too.
•Basiselterngeld months and ElterngeldPlus months are averaged separately. Which type you choose for a month with income can change the result.

If you expect to earn more in some months, try different month plans in the planner before you apply.

Provisional amount and final settlement

If you state in your application that you expect income during Elterngeld, the Elterngeldstelle decides provisionally on the basis of your estimate (§ 8 Abs. 3 BEEG). After your last Elterngeld month, you prove your actual income (§ 8 Abs. 1 BEEG). If you earned more than expected, you have to pay back the difference. If you earned less, you receive a back payment.

If your income changes, tell the Elterngeldstelle early. Your payment can then be adjusted, and you avoid a large repayment at the end.

Next steps

•How part-time income reduces Elterngeld · Income offset
•Plan months with and without income · Open planner

Explore more topics

Income offset

The calculation uses standardized income before and after birth, not simply payslip net.

ElterngeldPlus for part-time

Plus uses the income difference and is capped at half the no-income Basis entitlement.

Midijob and Elterngeld

A Midijob pays more than the Minijob limit (603 € a month in 2026) and no more than 2,000 € a month.

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