Geld genug: Welche finanziellen Entscheidungen werdende Eltern früh treffen sollten

Getting ready for a child brings significant changes, and financially, there is more to organize than many expecting parents anticipate. By addressing the most important questions early on, couples can avoid costly mistakes later. In this series, we discuss the key financial and legal points couples should consider before the birth of their child.

We explain when marriage can provide advantages, why dividing employment and caregiving duties should be discussed early, and how parents can safeguard against pension gaps. Additionally, the focus is on fatherhood recognition, custody, and insurance for parents and children. We illustrate how parental and child insurance, parental allowance, child benefit, and tax class changes work, what deadlines must be observed, and why timely tax class changes can significantly increase parental allowance.

At the end, you will have a practical checklist for financial planning around the birth. In "Geld genug," Jan Guldner (DIE ZEIT) and Laura de la Motte (»Handelsblatt«) discuss a financial life issue every two weeks. We welcome questions, feedback, and criticism at geldgenug@zeit.de.