Austria Kinderbetreuungsgeld 2026: Amounts, Duration and Income Limits

Austria’s Kinderbetreuungsgeld (KBG) provides financial support to parents after the birth of a child. Families can choose between a flat-rate account model and an income-based benefit, depending on their circumstances and plans for staying at home.

How much is Kinderbetreuungsgeld in 2026?

The daily Kinderbetreuungsgeld amounts will remain at their 2025 levels in both 2026 and 2027, according to the official Bundeskanzleramt table.

Flat-rate Kinderbetreuungsgeld-Konto

The Pauschales Kinderbetreuungsgeld, also called the Kinderbetreuungsgeld-Konto, pays a fixed daily amount. The amount depends on the duration selected: the longer the period, the lower the daily payment.

• Daily amount: between €17.65 and €41.14.
• One parent claiming the benefit: between 365 and 851 days.
• Both parents sharing the benefit: between 456 and 1,063 days.
• The maximum daily amount is €41.14.
• Twenty per cent of the selected total period is reserved for the second parent and cannot be transferred. In the shortest version, this is 91 days.

Income-based Kinderbetreuungsgeld

The Einkommensabhängiges Kinderbetreuungsgeld is generally 80% of the parent’s previous income, usually based on the Wochengeld. In 2026 and 2027, the maximum is €80.12 per day, or approximately €2,400 per month.

This option is available for a maximum of 365 days when claimed by one parent, or 426 days when both parents share it. It is particularly suitable for parents who previously had a higher income and plan to stay at home for a shorter period.

Who is eligible?

The main requirements for Kinderbetreuungsgeld are:

• Life in Austria and a shared household: The parent claiming the benefit and the child must have their centre of life (Lebensmittelpunkt) in Austria and live together continuously for at least 91 days, with the same registered main address (Hauptwohnsitz).
• Lawful residence: Parents who are not Austrian citizens must have lawful residence (Niederlassung) in Austria. Special EU rules may apply in cross-border cases and take precedence over national requirements.
• Family allowance: The parents must be entitled to Austrian family allowance (Familienbeihilfe) and must actually receive it for the child.
• Eltern-Kind-Pass examinations: Five examinations during pregnancy and five examinations for the child must be completed.

Income limits while receiving the benefit

Flat-rate Kinderbetreuungsgeld-Konto

With the flat-rate model, the parent’s annual additional income may not exceed 60% of their income before the birth under the individual income limit. However, a minimum limit of €18,000 per calendar year applies. If the individual limit cannot be calculated or is below €18,000, the €18,000 limit applies.

Income-based Kinderbetreuungsgeld

Because the amount is based on previous income, only a limited amount of additional earnings is permitted. In 2026, the annual income limit is €8,600. If the limit is exceeded, the amount exceeding the limit must be repaid.

How can parents share Kinderbetreuungsgeld?

Parents can take turns caring for the child and claiming the benefit. This allows both parents to participate in the child’s early years while the family receives financial support.

The Partnerschaftsbonus may also be available when parents share the benefit. It totals €1,000, paid as a one-time payment of €500 to each parent, if the benefit is divided approximately equally between 50:50 and 60:40 and each parent receives it for at least 124 days.

Each parent must apply for the bonus separately, no later than 124 days after the end of the possible total entitlement period.

How to apply

The application must be submitted to the locally responsible health insurance provider: either the provider that paid the Wochengeld or the provider with which the parent is insured.

Applications can be submitted online through:

• the meinesv.at portal;
• FinanzOnline; or
• the Meine ÖGK app.

Paper applications are accepted only on the standard federal form.

Required documents

• The child’s birth certificate.
• The parents’ marriage certificate or acknowledgement of paternity.
• The decision confirming entitlement to family allowance.
• Proof of address registration for the parents and child.
• The parents’ social insurance certificates.
• A copy of confirmation of the first six Eltern-Kind-Pass examinations.

Processing time and important deadlines

Applications are generally processed within a few weeks. The actual processing time may vary between federal provinces and depends on whether all documents have been submitted. The responsible health insurance provider can provide an update on the application’s status.

Apply as soon as possible after the child’s birth. Kinderbetreuungsgeld can be claimed retroactively for a maximum of 182 days, so a late application may result in lost days.

What happens when Kinderbetreuungsgeld ends?

• Extending parental leave: Under certain conditions, parental leave may be extended, although this extension does not include financial support.
• Returning to work: Austrian law protects parents’ right to return to work. Parents are entitled to part-time employment if the child has not yet reached school age.
• Other support: Further family support may be available, such as family allowance or tax benefits.

Practical steps

1. Compare the flat-rate Kinderbetreuungsgeld-Konto with the income-based option.
2. Check whether you meet the residence, shared-household, Familienbeihilfe and Eltern-Kind-Pass requirements.
3. Calculate the applicable income limit before taking on additional work.
4. Decide whether the benefit will be shared and plan the parents’ periods carefully if you want to qualify for the Partnerschaftsbonus.
5. Collect the required documents and submit the application to the responsible health insurance provider as soon as possible after the birth.
6. Keep confirmation of the application and contact the health insurance provider if processing takes longer than expected.