Partnerschaftsbonus: Extra Months for Sharing Childcare

The Partnerschaftsbonus is a reward for sharing childcare equally. When both parents work part-time simultaneously, you each receive extra ElterngeldPlus months.

The idea: The government wants to encourage both parents to be involved in childcare, rather than having one parent (usually mom) take all the time off while the other works full-time.

To get the Partnerschaftsbonus, both parents must:

The work hours requirement is very specific:

• •Less than 24 hours average → No bonus
• •Between 24-32 hours average → You get the bonus
• •More than 32 hours average → No bonus (and you might lose regular Elterngeld too)

This is calculated as a monthly average. Some flexibility week-to-week is okay, but your monthly average must land in the 24-32 range.

Here's something many people don't know: Single parents (Alleinerziehende) can claim the Partnerschaftsbonus themselves.

You just need to meet the work hours requirement (24-32 hours/week). Since there's no partner, only your hours matter. This is actually easier to achieve than as a couple!

Be careful: If you claim Partnerschaftsbonus but don't meet the requirements (e.g., one parent works 35 hours one month), you'll have to pay it back.

The Elterngeldstelle checks this retroactively based on your actual work hours. Make sure both parents can realistically commit to the 24-32 hour window.