Parental allowance decision: calculate the objection deadline
The parental allowance office decides on your Elterngeld: amount, months, refusal or repayment.
How to recognise the letter
- The sender is the parental allowance office of your state or district.
- It states the amount and months of Elterngeld or asks for money back.
- At the end, the instructions on legal remedies: objection within one month.
Which deadline applies?
Objection (Widerspruch): one month after notification (§ 84 Abs. 1 S. 1 SGG). If the end falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline ends on the next working day (§ 64 Abs. 3 SGG). The calculator on this page works out the exact day – step by step.
Disputes about Elterngeld go to the social courts (§ 13 Abs. 1 BEEG), so the Social Courts Act deadline applies.
What happens if you do nothing?
Once the objection period has passed, the decision becomes final; a repayment must then be made.
Your options
- Compare the calculation with your pay slips
- Send missing proof
- Object (Widerspruch) – reasons can follow later
- Advice: family advice centre
Who can help?
Parental allowance office (ask), family advice centre
Frequently asked questions
Why does the Social Courts Act apply?
Because disputes about Elterngeld go to the social courts (§ 13 Abs. 1 BEEG). An objection does not put the decision on hold (§ 13 Abs. 2 BEEG).
How much time do I have?
One month after notification (§ 84 Abs. 1 S. 1 SGG). If the end falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline ends on the next working day (§ 64 Abs. 3 SGG). The calculator above shows the exact day with every step.
Who can help me?
Parental allowance office (ask), family advice centre.
General information, not legal advice. Whether this decision is correct and what is right in your case is for an advice centre or a lawyer to say. Laws link to the official German text at gesetze-im-internet.de.