Letter from the family benefits office: proof for child benefit

Last updated: October 2026

The family benefits office (Familienkasse) pays child benefit (Kindergeld). From time to time it wants to know whether everything is still correct, for example whether your child is still in training. Then you get a letter like this.

Sample letter

Made‑up sender, made‑up names. The letter often looks like this or similar.

What does the letter mean?

The Familienkasse checks whether you will keep getting child benefit. For children aged 18 and over, there is child benefit only under certain conditions, for example during school, vocational training or university.

The letter is a request to cooperate (Aufforderung zur Mitwirkung). You must send the proof, otherwise the child benefit stops and you may have to pay money back.

Deadlines

• The deadline for the proof is in the letter, in the sample 10 November 2026.
• If you cannot meet the deadline because the school has not issued the certificate yet, write to the Familienkasse before the deadline ends.
• If you later get a decision (Bescheid) that you disagree with: you can file an objection (Einspruch) within one month.

What you can do

1. Get the certificate from the school, the training company or the university.
2. Write the child benefit number (Kin­der­geld­num­mer) on every page you send.
3. Send the proof by post or upload it online, and keep a receipt.
4. If something changes, for example if your child drops out of training, tell the Familienkasse on your own.

This guide does not replace legal advice. Every letter is different: deadlines and amounts apply as they are written in your letter. If you have questions, an advice centre can help.

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