Overview
- From January 1, 2026, the annual pay required to earn one statutory pension point is reported to rise to €51,944, reflecting 2024 wage data and up from €47,085 in 2024.
- Analysts caution that employees will accrue fewer points for the same pay—described as a “pension shock”—with July 2025 pensions up 3.74% even as accrual thresholds climb faster.
- The Aktivrente is slated to start in January 2026, allowing retirees to earn up to €2,000 per month tax‑free while working, though social and health contributions still apply with reporting estimating roughly €207 in deductions.
- A government reply indicates about 9.2 million full‑time employees earn under €3,500 per month, and calculations by Die Linke suggest around €3,300 gross monthly is needed to avoid old‑age poverty on the state pension alone.
- Support measures include Wohngeld with a Grundrenten allowance that excludes at least €1,200 and up to €3,378 annually from income for eligible pensioners, while DRV data show contribution receipts up 5.2% and the rate around 18.6% but more than one third lack supplementary provision.