Overview

• Germany's statutory pension system grants up to 36 months of child-rearing credits, with each year adding €40.79 to monthly pensions starting July 2025.
• Currently, mothers of children born before 1992 receive only 30 months of credit; the government plans to equalize this with post-1992 births.
• Parents must actively apply for these credits through Deutsche Rentenversicherung, as they are not automatically granted.
• A persistent shortage of 300,000 daycare slots forces two-thirds of German mothers into part-time work, reducing their pension contributions.
• The gender pension gap remains significant, with women receiving 27% less statutory pension than men on average in 2024.