Any pensioner (except for the recipient of the survivor’s pensions) is entitled to child benefit for every child or adoptive child until the child reaches 18 years of age, for stepchildren and grandchildren only when specific criteria are met. If more than one person is entitled to child benefit, the benefit is only granted once per child.
Amount payable
A monthly amount of EUR 29,07 gross for child benefit is awarded for every child.
It may be less if the entitlement to Austrian pension is only possible by adding on insurance years acquired abroad.
Until the child reaches 18 years of age one is entitled to child benefit regardless of income, even if the child is employed.
After the child has reached 18 years of age one is entitled to child benefit, if the child is:
- in school or vocational training that predominantly requires his/her work capacity, at most until he/she reaches the age of 27, and in the case of studies either family allowance is received or no family allowance is received, but proper studies are pursued seriously and purposefully (§ 2 par. 1 lit. b Family Burden Equalization in the version of 1.9.1992).
- participating in the voluntary social year, the voluntary environmental protection year, the memorial service both inland and abroad or the peace and social service in a foreign country, at the most until having reached the age of 27, or
- unable to work if the disease or the handicap has started prior to the age of 18 or during educational or vocational training, the participation in the voluntary social year or a voluntary year of environmental protection, the memorial service both inland and abroad or the peace and social service in a foreign country.
An application for continuation of entitlement to the child benefit must be filed within the three months after the child has reached 18 years of age, to assure that the interruption of payment does not occur.
If the requirements for continuation of entitlement are no longer met, payments for child benefit will be terminated at the end of the month, in which the reason for termination occurred, or if the occupational disability does not apply anymore with the end of the month following the notification about the decision.