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Hi Larissa. Usually the health insurance contribution is divided in 2 payments: When maternity protection begins, you will receive the first advance payment from your health insurance. This includes maternity allowance for the six weeks before the birth. After the birth certificate has been presented, the remaining maternity allowance (8 weeks after birth) can be paid in advance for the full eight weeks in one sum immediately . You receive the employer contribution at the usual time as you would receive your salary.

@@margaexpatmotheringermany super thanks :)

@@larissaguimaraes3412 you're welcome 🤗

Hi! Thanks so much for your comment and the lovely words. Delivering useful content is one of my first priorities 🙂 As I understood, you are asking about the parental benefits as a father (Elternzeit and Elterngeld) in Germany. If that is so for Elternzeit, parental leave you need to fulfill these requirements: You are an employee, live with your child in the same household, look after and raise your child yourself. During parental leave, you either do not work at all or work a maximum of 32 hours per week. For Elterngeld (parental allowance), these are the requirements: You look after and raise your child yourself, live with your child in the same household (really important) and live in Germany (as a parent you are only entitled to parental allowance if your residence or usual place of residence is in Germany). You do not work at all or do not work more than 32 hours per week. At a first glance, it looks like you are entitled to both Parental leave and parental allowance in Germany. You are also allowed to spend your parental leave in another country, being still registered in Germany. For parental leave, you can easily register your parental leave in writing with your employer at least 7 weeks before the desired start date. There is no specific form but it needs to be in paper form (let me know if you need a template) and you should also receive a confirmation from your employer in a paper form. Here you can find more information about the parental leave in Germany: aboebymarga.com/elternzeit-parental-leave-in-germany/ For the parental allowance to You must claim Parental Allowance from a Parental Allowance Office. The responsible Parental Allowance Office for you depends on where your child’s place of residence is. This is available at www.familienportal.de. you can also get it from other offices or even completely fill it out online (some federal states). Check here for more information about parental leave in Germany: aboebymarga.com/parental-allowance-germany-elterngeld-germany/ Let me know if you need more information 🙌

@@margaexpatmotheringermany that's just amazing! Thank you for your answer! It helps a lot, really appreciate it! I think i've got all the information. While reading through just one additional question poped-up; do I have to pannounce the entire parental leave in advance, or can I first use one part and then the other part? The same question applies to parental allowance. If I understand correctly, these are two separate benefits (in the country I come from, they are inseparably linked, so I prefer to ask twice).

Hi Rofi! Sorry for the late reply. Yes, parental leave and parental allowance are separate benefits. But for some situations, your right to receive parental allowance depends on how you are taking your parental leave/distributing your working time. You can prolong your parental leave - either directly after the parental leave you have already registered or later. There is a restriction due to the so-called "binding period": If you registered for parental leave before your child's 3rd birthday, you have to decide when you will take parental leave within the next two years when you registered. In these two years you can only take additional parental leave if your employer agrees. You can also split your parental leave. Each parent can split their entire parental leave into a maximum of 3 periods. If your employer agrees, it can be more. However, the employer can refuse the 3rd period for urgent operational reasons if it falls exclusively between the child's 3rd birthday and the child's 8th birthday. They must do this within 8 weeks of receiving your application. For parental allowance each parent can only apply for parental allowance once per child. You can submit your application together with your partner. It is possible to change your application later. This is always possible if the changes only affect future months. If you want to change past months, there are special requirements for changes. Wish you all the best!

I can't find any information on why you couldn't apply for/receive ElterngeldPlus. Just be sure you fulfill all the specific requirements. Since I am not sure about your specific situation here some of the requirements you need to consider: You are a German / EU / EEA citizen, or you hold a permanent residence permit, or a residence permit. You and your partner’s combined annual income does not exceed 200.000 euros. From April 1, 2025, the limit will be 175.000 euros. 😊 Let me know if I can further help!

Hi Lolipot. Yes, I applied to the Basiselterngeld.

lots of demand and little supply

😂😂

Midwife

Hi! Does she have a working contract in Germany?

@@margaexpatmotheringermany yes she is working since 4 years in Big IT firm and she recently got her PR also. As she is alone here she wants her baby delivery in India with her family 😊.

@@sharathhagaranoor4964 she is definitely eligible to get Elterngeld!! 😊 The birth delivery country and where she spends the "Elternzeit" doesn't have to be in Germany. You will have to submit all the paperwork to Germany. Some states offer the possibility of doing it all online, some you will need to send the paperwork per mail.

@@margaexpatmotheringermany Thanks a lot, lot of people here saying, they didn't get elterngeld, so we were bit worried, hope everything is going to be fine 😊

@@sharathhagaranoor4964 this is interesting. Did they apply? Which kind of response they got? During this time in India she will keep her German address? And continue to be registered in Germany, right?

I totally understand you!! ❤️

Which problems? I am not talking about problems in this video.

@@margaexpatmotheringermany → The issues YOU brought up.

Obligated indeed. In many, many cases. "German spouse+ kids" setup is being the most common reason. Men in my country are in rage for german men taking our prettiests and highest value women. It's a thing, they are wife travelling. Noone asked them to that, they were not obligated nor invited.😂

These are not problems/issues, these are just facts that I have to, or got used to live with.

Where are you from?

Thanks for your comment. I don't understand what you mean exactly.

I moved to Germany a long time ago, before my kids were even in our plans. My husband is German, so going back to my home country would also mean to be far away from family, the German side of the family. They miss my side of the family, for sure. But I believe it is actually more painful for me then for them, especially seeing them not growing up near my family on a regular basis. Being far away is their "normal". This is the reality of migrant/expat mothers. Even more complex is for example the reverse cultural shock - emotional and psychological distress suffered by some people when returning home after being somewhere else for quite some time. This can result in unexpected difficulty in readjusting to the culture and values of the home country, now that the previously familiar has become unfamiliar. For some aspects, I already feel this every time I visit my home country. It feels like home is in both places, but also fully home in neither.

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean..

⁠there is a trend with this song they are not trying to be rude they were talking about a trend

@@Nene_only_posts_on_vidsyeah mb

@@margaexpatmotheringermanytheres aeme where they edit a character and make it look pregnant as ragebait

@@Funkyman_Real ah ok. I didn't know about it. Just chose this song because I like it 😅 and makes sense here.

Hi Deepad3356! Thanks for the comment. Did the mother change her official primary address before delivery? Is she employed/paying taxes in Germany?

Thank you for this comment ❤️

Thanks for your comment 😉 you would say that is something no one does in the USA? Could be a Portuguese (or South European) cultural thing. Germans also do it, but in a different way than what I was used to.

@@margaexpatmotheringermany I live in NYC they may do things differently in other parts of the country, in the Southern states perhaps. Here, if a student gave a teacher a real gift (as opposed to an apple), he’d probably be accused of, “sucking up,” in order to get good grades.

Hi 🙌 thanks for the comment! Do you mean financial benefits? For the maternity leave, it is just from 6 weeks before the die date and 8 weeks after birth (or 12 weeks in some exceptions, please check the video). After this period of time it is not called maternity leave nor Mutterschutz, but Elternzeit, and during Elternzeit you can get Elterngeld. Check my videos about Elterngeld (some of mine Elterngeld videos: 1) Overview: czcams.com/video/Nx1SYnzqQ24/video.htmlsi=q4gqT1aittZI1f2u; 2) Types of Elterngeld: czcams.com/video/EPUWqspXaUA/video.htmlsi=rVz3EzZ7ekBeTMAa; 3) How to calculate Elterngeld: czcams.com/video/5UwGAgmpSI8/video.htmlsi=pW-Ln76hnMZ3P8lh). I hope this information helps you.

Hi! Thanks for your comment 😊 do you mean the income limit to receive Elterngeld? I am not sure, but it is planned to continue in 2025. If the child is born on or after April 1, 2025, the limit of 175,000 euros applies. After this there is no official information yet.

Yes 😊

@@margaexpatmotheringermany wow

I am glad!

Hi!! Thank you for your comment 😊 parental allowance is a financial aid for parents that stopped working or reduced their working hours to be able to take care of their children. Many do, but not every country in the world offers maternity, parental or paternity allowances. In Germany there are many parental allowance options. Check here one of my CZcams videos about it: czcams.com/video/Nx1SYnzqQ24/video.htmlsi=YKk3GWMS5-Sl4v04

Hi 😊 sorry, I don't understand the question. The names in the video were all spelled by my German husband.

You usually would write with a silent h after the t Nathalie

You're welcome!

Hello! Thank you for your comment! You can apply until your child is 14 months old and you can only receive basic parental allowance in the first 14 months of your child's life. After the 14th month of life, you can only receive Parental Allowance Plus or partnership bonus - up to a maximum of 32 months (until your child is 2 years and 8 months old). You are then no longer allowed to interrupt the connection. If the other parent also applies for parental allowance, you can take turns after the age of 14 months. However, if there is a month after the age of 14 months in which neither of you receives Parental Allowance Plus, then you will no longer be able to receive any after that - even if you still have months left. From what you describe, and if your child is still not 14 months old, you still have some options: some combinations of Basiselterngeld (Basic elterngeld) with Elterngeld plus (parental allowance plus), and both off you applying for Elterngeld. If you would like to check with me some of your options, I would need a little bit more information. Please send me a DM on Instagram.

Hi! I don't have self experience with the Tripp Trapp, just what I could try on the shop. But, what is exactly your question?

Hi Julias! According to the Maternity Protection Act in Germany, women should inform their employer about the pregnancy as soon as it has been confirmed by a gynecologist. This is because pregnant women who are employed have certain rights from the beginning of the pregnancy until 4 months after the birth. How can you be protected if your boss doesn't know about it? But more details about this and other rights as a pregnant woman in Germany, on my CZcams video about it >>> "Maternity leave in Germany explained | Mutterschutz in Germany!"

Very welcome 🤗

Yes, it can definitely be used with the family during meals. It reaches our meals table. Actually we used it with the bouncer for our babies to be as high as the table, even if they were not eating meals yet, they shared that meal time with us.

Thank you so much for your comment!

Hi @kaylyanibhushab. Congratulations for your pregnancy/baby. The "Negativbescheinigung" can be applied for either directly when you apply to the citizenship card (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis) or with reference to a citizenship card that has already been issued. The application must be submitted directly to the Federal Office of Administration or "Bundesverwaltungsamt". For the Mutterschaftsgeld information I believe you need to contact your health insurance and ask them to write an informal certificate about your Mutterschaftsgeld. I hope this information helps you! Good luck 🤞🏼

Thank you! ❤️

Thank you for your comment 🤗

Thank you for your comment 🤗 unfortunately if you claim 14 months Basis Elterngeld you don't have any months left to claim any other type of Elterngeld. Also, to take the first 14 months of your child's life, you cannot both claim Elterngeld at the same time. Together you have 14 months, but each of you cannot take more than 12 months Basis Elterngeld. This means that if one of you takes the 12 months Elterngeld the other can take 2 months, those don't have to be consecutive and could be at the same time. Here 3 examples: 1) the mother takes 12 months Basis Elterngeld from birth until the end of month 12, and the father takes 2 months of Elterngeld for birth until the end of month 2. 2) the mother takes 12 months Basis Elterngeld from birth until the end of month 12, and the father takes 2 months from month 13 until the end of month 14. 3) the mother takes 8 months of basis Elterngeld from birth until the end of month 8, and the father takes 6 months of basis Elterngeld from month 9 until the end of month 14. What you can do at the end of the 14 months is to take plus 2 to 4 months (the so-called partnership bonus, the third modality). But for that you both would have to work part-time (each at least 24 hours/week and no more than 32 hours/week) and you have to claim it at the same time in consecutive months. I hope this information helped you to get the best option for you and your family!

@@margaexpatmotheringermany thank you so much! This clarified a lot. If I may ask once again.. 1. how come when I compute my basis elterngeld if i claim it alone it would be bigger than if both my and my partner claim it? If I claim it alone, i get 1800… first 12 months.. but if i include his salary in the computation, we only get 1300 for the first 12 months and 1300 for months 13 and 14…? 2. If i claim the basis elterngeld for the first 12 months and then i come back to work part time starting 13th month of the baby, can i still make use of the elterngeld plus modality? Or that is also used out already since i finished all receivables from basis elterngeld? Thanks a lot for your help!!

Hi @cybdalljardinel. 1. I am not sure how you introduced the values on the calculator. The Elterngeld is calculated individually. 2. If you use the 12 months Basis Elterngeld you cannot use anymore Basis elterngeld or Elterngeld plus. The only option is the Partnership bonus. For that, both, you and your husband, have to work part time at the same time for a minimum of 2 months and a maximum of 4 months, and these months have to be consecutive.

😅 it is great to have kids, but it is a also a big life change. Also parental leave is not parental allowance, so at some point you might need (or want) to go back to being professionally active. But yes, it is possible (and it happens in some cases) that you have children after another and then prolong your parental leave, without working between kids.

Hi Marga! How is this applied practically? 3 years per child per parent? So say, my partner and I have one incoming baby. I take first 3 years elternzeit and he can take the next 3 yrs elternzeit? Or we can both take the elternzeit in the first 3 yrs at the same time? Thanks!

@@cyndalljardinel you can both take 3 years per child 🙌 you 3 years and your partner 3 years. You can take them for example at the same time, or consecutively (if from birth, until tour child os 6 yeats old) 😊

It was definitely very funny to do also 😂

😂😂

If I can speak German? Yes, I do 😊

@@margaexpatmotheringermany oke Dachte du wärst englisch

@@happytoad6601 ich komme aus Portugal / I am from Portugal 😊

@@margaexpatmotheringermany wow das hört sich cool an.

Check this: bilikids.de/blog/ hope it will help. Some posts are in English, some in German and many in Spanish.

Yes, of course :)

@@margaexpatmotheringermany so pls share 3 things that were/ are challenging about everyday life of bilingual upbringing and 3 advantages, it be for you/ the kids. What would you say are the cognitive, linguistic and socio-cultural impacts of bilingualism on preschool kids? And what advice would you give to parents who are considering bringing up their children bilingual? (If this comment is public, i hope it is okay for other mamas (parents) to share. By the way, are you from S.A? Am from S.A living in EST. Not that far from you😀

Hi Chrio! I am from Portugal and live in Germany. Raising bilinguals has many challenges and advantages. Here 3 of the nein challenges er had: 1) The start with our first child for me. I was speaking German and English in my daily life and had to introduce Portuguese, because I was the only source of Portuguese for my child. It makes a lot of pressure and honestly it was difficult to change between languages. Now I feel and do it as a normal thing, but I remember those first months I was really tired (on top of normal Post patum tiredness); 2) Find good quality and scientific proven information on bilingualism and raising bilinguals. There is a lot of information out there, it was a not easy to understand where to go in order to get reliable answers to the questions that come up. It is growing the number of good bilingualism specialists, however, unfortunately there are still a lot of myths and wrong information spreading around; 3) Not sure how to "proceed" in each situation. For example: if we are just among German speaking/non-portuguese speaking people, should I switch to German/other language? Is that a problem to speak a language with an accent or even grammatical mistakes to my children? Do they learn my mistakes? Can I mix a bit the languages? Something like saying a Portuguese sentence but using German words, as health insurance (Krankenkasse? Weihnachtsmarkt? Bratwurst?). And many other questions. And when we know who to proceed, which language to use, since language is so automatic, dyinamyc and spontaneous I ended up not doing what I am supposed to do, or say.

I'll answer the other questions in separate comments. Maybe tomorrow, today I really need to go to sleep 😴 good night

Hi :) thank you for your comment! That's a very pertinent question. Here my comments and remarks: 1. Maternity leave and pay in Germany is taken pretty serious, and I don't believe that since it was created there were many women renouncing it. At least the ones aware of maternity pay. 2. For your wife's employer it only means more paper work, since companies are reimbursed the whole Maternity pay amount. So, they would pay your wife a certain amount of money and that exact amount would be reimbursed. I don't believe they will get anything over that amount. The only person getting something plus is your wife. 3. Is your wife insured by a statutory or private health insurance? The amount of maternity pay vary according to your type of health insurance, and may be more or less worth to apply. 4. You being on her insurance doesn't change anything concerning her maternity leave or maternity pay rights. And health insurances usually follow a pregnant and postpartum woman's rights strictly. 5. Actually, applying to maternity pay is not that stressful or complicated comparing to all other applications I've had to go through here in Germany 😂 (not sure if you applied for Parental allowance ("Elterngeld"). That's a pain!). For maternity allowance you usually need to fill a small form from your health insurance, and send 2 documents: one with the planned due date, and the other one is your child's birth certificate (I guess they already have your child's birth certificate - "Geburtsurkunde" - since the health insurance needs it to insure your child). 6. You are totally right - Maternity pay is not compulsory and you do not need to claim it! 7. The only small negative consequence I can probably think is the tax return. Since Maternity pay is money you receive without paying taxes, in the end of the year you might have to pay a little bit more taxes (in terms of taxes return) than usual. 8. My experience in Germany and with official/state services tells me 2 things: 1) It is hard to find someone friendly; 2) They are very honest and tell you the truth - So I believe this woman is just telling the truth when she says that "she never heard of such thing", even if she didn't sound that nice and even scared you 🙃 they can also have that effect on people! I hope my points help you to feel more confident whatever choice you take, and feel free to reach to me if you need further clarifications! Wish you and your family all the best 🤗

Hello :) Thank you for your comment! Unfortunately I cannot answer to you in the first hand since I do not have the cybex lemo 2 at home. But I watched some CZcams videos and identified some differences: 1) The type of front and back adjustment of the seat. Cybex Lemo 1 has a kind of a button to move the seat back and forward, and the Cybex Lemo 2 has a screw that you need to unlock and lock where you want it to stay. It might take some seconds longer to adjust the seat with the screw, but you might also have more adjustment options. 2) The baby-set-cushion and bouncer cushions are different. The Cybex Lemo 2 might offer a more comfortable baby-set-cushion since it also supports the sides. The bouncer cushion is pretty similar, I guess the design is a little different. However, for the baby-set-cushion, it is purchased separately and, as far as I understand, the seat's structure is the same. So you can use a Cybex Lemo 2 baby-set-cushion on a Cybex Lemo 1 seat. 3) The Cybex Lemo 2 seat has an extra "cybex" logo on the seat in front. 4) If I am not mistaken the Cybex Lemo 2 offers more color options than the Cybex Lemo 1. That is all I could find and I hope this information helps you! Let me know if I can help you with further information😊

Hi @maitrayeepall7034, yes it is true. For the first time in years, there is an austerity budget. In order to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Finance and to prevent a reduction in parental allowance for all parents, the number of beneficiaries will be reduced. The new limit for couples and single parents is 150,000 euros taxable income (gross income is higher). I would really like to do a video just about this, hole to find some time soon. Btw, what is your opinion about this measure, and specific limit?

@@margaexpatmotheringermany 150,000 euros gross amount right ? Ans is it for people who's baby is born in 2024 or everyone from 2024 who earn 150K gross ?

Hi :) Thank you for your comment! The changes are expected to come into force for births from January 1, 2024. So parents of babies born until December 21, 2023 do not fall into this new rule. Also, the 150.000 Eur amount is for net income, the gross amount might be higher (around 180.000 Eur gross). I hope I could help you with this information 😊

@@margaexpatmotheringermany The 180,000 Our does it include only Gross income (base) or does it also include bonus that was received ?

​@@user-nh6ob6nu9lI believe it includes the whole gross income (base plus bonus).

Hi @sanjana5056, a midwife receives at least 37.400 €/year, and average of 44.200 €/year. The above average salary for a midwife is around 52.100 €. And midwives are specially searched in cities such as Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. Are you planning on going for a midwife "Ausbildung"?

Hi! Have you tried all my tips on this video: czcams.com/video/04bIn19niEg/video.html ?

Is assurance responsible for teeth washing in Germany when pregnant to come