The child benefit trap threatens children over 18 years of age

Conditions for child benefit beyond the age of 18:

The adult children can work and earn money and still be entitled to child benefit if they

• are in a waiting period for an apprenticeship or study place (no longer than four months)
• during the period of a first degree or vocational training
• is in a second apprenticeship (studies, school) and works a maximum of 20 hours per week (amount of earnings should not play a role - Kindergeld ab 18 Jahren - Bundesagentur für Arbeit (arbeitsagentur.de)
• are in the bridging period between two training phases
• does an internship that is related to the desired profession
• you do a volunteer service

Unduly received child benefit must be repaid

This is clear to you: you do not take money that is not due to you ...

Risk in SGB II communities of need (Bedarfsgemeinschaften)

In the SGB II reference, all income to be applied for as a matter of priority is used to cover needs, so the job center will ask you in any case to apply for child benefit for your child - but you alone bear the risk.

Suppose your child's needs are €600 combined with the cost of accommodation

The job centre first settles the child benefit you have received:

The job center now has to pay € 220.00 less because the child benefit department has paid you child benefit.

The child benefit fund informs you that you have made a mistake: the child is not entitled to child benefit...

If, for example, a review after one year determines that you were not entitled to child benefit for this period, the family benefits office will demand all the money back from you and you will be guilty of a tax offence as a side effect.

Whether you have made a mistake in the application does not matter to the child benefit office, even if the job center had asked you to submit the application (because the job center then saves money).

If you ask the job center to pay the debt because it has paid you too little, you will not get any help: Since the money from the job center + the child benefit has covered your needs together, the job center has done everything right - but:

Debts to the child benefits office

Our advice

As soon as your child turns 18, check whether he or she is still receiving child benefit or not.

Don't be afraid: If the child benefit department determines that you are no longer receiving child benefit, then the job center must pay you the full amount (€ 600.00 in the example).