Overview
- From 1 January 2026, the contribution ceiling rises to €5,812.50 per month in statutory health and long-term care insurance and to €8,450 in pension insurance; the compulsory insurance threshold in health insurance moves to €77,400 annual salary.
- For people with severe disabilities born in 1964, an unreduced pension is available from 65 in 2026 or from 62 with a 10.8% deduction, completing the phased age increase.
- Private health insurance premiums are reported to climb by about 13% on average from 1 January 2026, a cost pressure that will hit many retirees with fixed incomes.
- The coalition plans to establish the pension commission before Christmas with a six‑month mandate, as Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil’s adviser Jens Südekum proposes linking retirement eligibility to contributory years instead of a fixed age.
- Draft plans for a reworked basic income would require employable recipients to take full‑time jobs, with childless beneficiaries expected to be the first focus for new obligations.