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Amount
The amounts of the parental allowances, i.e. maternity allowance, special maternity allowance, paternity allowance and parental allowance, are calculated in the same way. The best way to find out the amount of allowance is to use the calculator (only in Finnish) on our website.With the calculator for the length of parental allowance period (only in Finnish) you can see for how long the allowance will be paid and when your leave will start.
How much will the allowance be?
Usually, the amount of parental allowance is calculated according to previously taxed earnings, not your current income. The amount depends on your status and fluctuations in income. The minimum allowance is always €23,77 per working day. Working days are weekdays from Monday to Saturday excluding public holidays.
The amount of allowance is calculated
- according to your taxable earnings when you have been working.
- according to the earnings for the 6 months preceding the allowance period if your earnings have increased by at least 20% from your taxed earnings.
- according to the benefit preceding the allowance period if, for example, you have studied or been in rehabilitation, sick or unemployed.
- at the same amount as the previous parental allowance if your older child is under 3 years of age at the time of the estimated date of delivery of the new baby.
- according to income from short period of work if it is higher than your taxed income (e.g. if a mother has returned to work for a short period).
Earnings include wage income, YEL and MYEL income, and earned income from business activities. Usually, for example, income from dividends is not regarded as earnings. You can see the taxed income in Kela's online service (only in Finnish) when completing the application, or in your latest tax decision.
Same criteria when moving from one leave to another
The allowance is also calculated according to the same income when you move from one allowance to another, e.g. from maternity or paternity allowance to parental allowance. For example, when a mother moves from a period of maternity allowance to a period of parental allowance, the parental allowance is calculated on the basis of the same income as for the maternity allowance prior to that even if the mother's income had increased or decreased in the meantime.
The same calculation formula is used for maternity allowance, special maternity allowance, paternity allowance and parental allowance (i.e. for all parental benefits). However, the amount of allowance will vary as it is paid at an increased rate for part of the time.
Two babies in three years
If your older child is under 3 years old on the day of your new baby's estimated date of delivery, you may qualify for parental allowance on the basis of the same income as for your older child on condition that your older child is under 3 years of age on the estimated date of delivery of your next child. If the previous allowance has been calculated on the basis of a benefit and not earnings, this method of calculation cannot be used.
In the same way, adoptive parents can receive the allowance on the basis of the previous child if you assume care of the adoptive child before 3 years have lapsed since you assumed care of your previous adoptive child.
This rule can be used whenever a new child is born in the family before the older child's third birthday. For example, if the first child is born in 2005, the next child in 2008 and the following one in 2011, the allowance for all children can be calculated on the basis of the allowance for the first child.
When the earnings that were used as the basis for the previous parental allowance are also used as the basis for the new parental allowance, the earnings are verified in relation to the starting year of entitlement to allowance and the previous year's wage coefficients. Even if the amount of earnings is the same in both parental allowances, the amount of allowance may change.
When applying for the allowance, it is not necessary to notify that you want the allowance to be based on the previous earnings. Kela will automatically receive this information when processing your application.
Updated 03/05/13