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Field help: (2020) Relevant family benefits office

This text refers to the Steuererklärung 2020 online. You can find the version for the Steuererklärung 2025 at:
(2025): Relevant family benefits office

Enter the name and address of the relevant family benefits office (Familienkasse).

In principle, it can be said that the place of residence of the parents is always used for the allocation of the responsible family benefits office. The address of your family benefits office can be found on your family benefits office notice ("Kindergeld-Bescheid").

If the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) is responsible for you, you can find out the address of the family benefits office on the website http://www.familienkasse.de.

In addition to the special services of the Federal Employment Agency, however, other family benefits offices have been set up in the public sector of corporations, institutions and foundations under public law. If you work for a public sector employer, it is best to contact your employer if you do not know who is paying you child benefits.

The "Act on the Termination of the Special Responsibility of the family office (Familienkasse) of the civil service in the Federal Government" of 8 December 2016 introduces a fundamental structural reform of responsibilities: Instead of the 8.000 different child benefits offices currently in charge, either the Federal Employment Agency or the Federal Administration Office (Bundesverwaltungsamt) will be responsible for child benefit in future. The special responsibility of the family benefits offices of the Federal Government civil service will end at the end of 2021.

Important: It is mandatory to indicate the responsible family benefits office from the tax year 2013 onwards. It is not possible to file a tax return online without stating the family benefits office.

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"Neben einer KI-gestützten Steuerhilfe sind die Bescheidprüfung und eine effizientere digitale Kommunikation mit dem Finanzamt hinzugekommen. [...] Neben Lohnsteuerbescheinigungen kann der Cloud-Dienst nun auch Rechnungen erkennen und verarbeiten."

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