Automatic Family Allowances without Application
Family allowance and childcare costs
Automatic Family Allowances without Application (ALF) is a no-stop-shop solution for parents with which family allowances for new-born children are paid out automatically. Filling in forms or a visiting the tax office is no longer necessary. This is relevant for about 80,000 families a year. The application has already received several international awards.
The service was launched on May 1st, 2015. Citizens no longer need to visit the tax office, and in many cases it is no longer necessary to present documentation. Family allowance payments are handled automatically. This will save Austrian citizens 39,000 hours annually, and additionally reduces the time and cost for the Austrian public administration.
The initiative of the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry of Families and Youth applies to children born in Austria. Austrian tax offices start an examination – without any interference from the parents- based on the data available and contact the parents for any necessary further information and to convey the result of the investigation process. Any contact with the tax office from the parents– if not requested for – is not necessary.