The German Finance Ministry plans to significantly simplify the child benefit (Kindergeld) application process, aiming for automatic disbursement by the Familienkasse upon a child's birth, provided all necessary parental and child information is available, eligibility is clear, and bank details are on file. This initiative, detailed in a draft proposal obtained by FOCUS online, will expand data exchange between authorities, including social welfare agencies like Jobcenters, municipal social offices, and housing benefit offices, to eliminate the need for families to repeatedly submit information. While the ministry intends to retain a formal application for cases with incomplete data or eligibility doubts, the goal is to reduce bureaucracy and prevent unjustified payments by leveraging existing data.