Maternity PayCalculator 2026.
Calculate your German Maternity Pay — up to €13/day from your health insurer plus employer top-up. For statutory and private insurance.
€13
Max. daily rate
€210
BAFzA lump sum
14 wks
Protection period
What is Mutterschaftsgeld?
Mutterschaftsgeld is a state wage-replacement benefit for women during the maternity protection period (6 weeks before to 8 weeks after birth). Statutory health-insured women receive a maximum of €13/day from their health insurer; the employer pays the difference to the net salary.
Calculate Mutterschaftsgeld
InputResult
Fill in the inputs and click "Calculate".
Frequently asked questions about Mutterschaftsgeld
Q.01How much is Mutterschaftsgeld in 2026?
Q.02How long is Mutterschaftsgeld paid?
Q.03What applies to privately insured women?
Q.04Can I receive Mutterschaftsgeld and Elterngeld at the same time?
Q.05What happens if the baby comes early?
— Explainer
What is Mutterschaftsgeld and who is entitled in 2026?
Mutterschaftsgeld secures the income of expecting mothers during the statutory protection periods before and after birth. It is designed to prevent women from continuing to work for financial reasons when the Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG) grants them explicit protection. Legal basis: §§ 19–24 MuSchG, § 24i SGB V.
Protection periods cover 6 weeks before the expected birth date and 8 weeks after birth — for premature births, multiples or children with disabilities, the post-birth period extends to 12 weeks. In total 14 to 18 weeks of seamless financial protection.
Statutory-insured employees receive up to 13 € per calendar day from their health insurer. The employer tops up the difference between this daily rate and the average net wage of the last three payroll months — not a deduction, but a true top-up to the pre-birth net.
Privately-insured employees and women in marginal employment (Minijob) receive no ongoing health-insurance payment. Instead, the Federal Office for Social Security (BAS) pays a one-off amount of up to 210 €. The employer top-up still applies.
— Calculation
Two stages: determine the daily rate from the net pay of the last 3 payroll months, then stack the health-insurance amount (max 13 €/day) plus the employer top-up to the pre-birth net daily rate.
| Pre-birth protection period | 6 weeks Starts 6 weeks before the expected birth date |
|---|---|
| Post-birth protection period | 8 weeks Multiples, premature birth, disability: 12 weeks |
| Reference period | Last 3 payroll months before protection Net earnings |
| Health insurance daily rate | max. 13 € / calendar day § 24i SGB V |
| Employer top-up | Difference daily rate − 13 € Up to pre-birth net daily rate |
| Private insurance / Minijob | One-off up to 210 € (BAS) Plus employer top-up |
| Tax and social charges | Gross = Net Tax-free (§ 3 No. 1d EStG), but progression proviso |
Health insurance pays an advance on request — the employer settles only after the certificate of the expected birth date (earliest 7 weeks before EDD). Between jobs, top-ups add up per employment relationship.
— Edge cases
Self-employed women
Self-employed women with statutory sickness allowance receive Krankentagegeld (not Mutterschaftsgeld) during the protection periods. Voluntary statutory insurance with a sickness benefit option pays Mutterschaftsgeld at sickness-benefit level — tariff choice must be made in time.
§ 44a SGB V
Minijob and privately insured
One-off BAS payment of up to 210 €. The employer top-up still applies — for privately-insured full-time employees this can be several thousand euros. Application: BAS, online or written.
§ 19 (2) MuSchG
Premature birth
For births before the 37th week, the post-birth period extends to 12 weeks. Days of the pre-birth period not used are added — a woman delivering 4 weeks before EDD receives not 6 + 8 = 14 weeks, but 4 + 12 = 16 weeks of protection.
§ 3 (2) MuSchG
Multiple births
For multiples (twins, triplets etc.) the post-birth period extends from 8 to 12 weeks. The pre-birth period remains 6 weeks.
§ 3 (2) MuSchG
Transition to Elterngeld
Mutterschaftsgeld is offset against Elterngeld. In the first 8 weeks post-birth, the mother de facto receives only Mutterschaftsgeld + employer top-up; Elterngeld runs in parallel on paper but is consumed entirely by Mutterschaftsgeld. Elterngeld becomes payable from week 9.
§ 3 BEEG
Employment ban before the protection period
With a doctor-certified employment ban (e.g. high-risk pregnancy), the employer pays Mutterschutzlohn — not Mutterschaftsgeld, but full continued pay. The health insurer and the U2 levy reimburse the employer.
§ 18, § 19 MuSchG, AAG
— How to apply for Mutterschaftsgeld
Application runs in parallel to the health insurer and the employer. The doctor's certificate of the expected birth date may be issued no earlier than 7 weeks before EDD.
- 01
Obtain the EDD certificate
The gynaecologist or midwife issues the certificate — earliest 7 weeks before EDD. It is the basis for both health insurer and employer.
- 02
Notify the health insurer
Send the certificate with the application form to your statutory health insurer — online, by post or through the app. Privately insured: apply to BAS instead.
- 03
Notify the employer
Certificate to HR. The employer calculates the daily net from the last 3 payroll months and confirms the top-up for the protection periods.
- 04
Decision and advance
The health insurer can pay an advance before the protection period. The employer settles monthly during the running protection period — the top-up is wired like regular pay.
- 05
Birth notification
Send the birth certificate to health insurer and employer within 1 week — required to transition from pre-birth to post-birth period and to enable an extended post-birth period in case of premature birth.
- 06
Plan the transition to Elterngeld
File the Elterngeld application no later than 4 weeks after birth (see Elterngeld calculator) — the protection period ends 8 (or 12) weeks after birth, Elterngeld then takes over.
— Common mistakes
Late EDD certificate
The certificate is issued earliest 7 weeks before EDD. Forgetting it delays the start of the health-insurer payment — even though the claim still arises retroactively.
Not requesting the employer top-up
The top-up does not run automatically — confirm with HR that the employment continues and the protection period is recognised.
Privately insured forget the BAS application
For private insurance the 210 € flat amount requires an explicit application — file online or lose the benefit.
Underestimating tax progression
Mutterschaftsgeld is tax-free but counted in the progression proviso — can raise the tax burden for the rest of the year. File a tax return anyway.
Double-budgeting Mutterschaftsgeld with Elterngeld
In the 8 (12) weeks after birth Mutterschaftsgeld + top-up is the sole wage replacement — Elterngeld becomes payable only from week 9 (13). Anyone expecting both in parallel will see a gap.
Not claiming the premature-birth extension
For premature births the post-birth period extends to 12 weeks — health insurer and employer must actively recognise it via the birth certificate. Reference § 3 (2) MuSchG explicitly.
— Sources & legal basis
- §§§ 19–24 MuSchG – MutterschutzgesetzRechtsgrundlage Mutterschaftsgeld, Schutzfristen
- §§ 24i SGB V – Mutterschaftsgeld GKVmax. 13 EUR/Tag Krankenkassenleistung
- §BAFzA – Mutterschaftsgeld für Privatversicherte210 EUR Einmalzahlung für PKV und Minijob
Note: This calculation is a non-binding estimate. The actual amount is determined by your health insurer and employer.
As of: January 2026
Was this page helpful?
Keep calculating
Related calculators for your situation
— Editorial
Elena Maurer
Editor-in-Chief
Elena leads the editorial team at familienleistungen-rechner.de. She researches and updates the calculators and guides based on official legislation and federal authorities. Her goal: making complex social benefits understandable and accessible for families.
Fact-checked by:Redaktion Faktencheck — Source Verification & Editorial Quality Assurance
Last reviewed:15 January 2026
Researched and editorially reviewed. Not legal advice within the meaning of § 2 RDG.
About our editorial team →