Riester Pension Calculator
Calculate your government subsidies and projected retirement capital.
- Projected Retirement Capital
- €72,179
- Monthly Pension (20 years)
- €301
- Years Until Retirement
- 32
- Basic Allowance
- €175
- Child Allowance
- €0
- Total Allowance
- €175
- Minimum Own Contribution
- €1,425
- Total Annual Contribution
- €1,600
- Special Expense Deduction (max. €2,100)
- €1,600
You are paying at least the minimum contribution for full subsidies.
Projection: 2% annual return, pension paid over 20 years. No warranty.
The Riester pension is a state-subsidised private pension scheme in Germany. The government pays an annual basic allowance plus a child allowance for each eligible child, and lets you deduct up to €2,100 per year as a special expense from your taxable income. You get the full subsidy when you contribute at least 4 % of your previous-year gross salary.
This calculator shows the basic and child allowances you are entitled to, the minimum own contribution, and the retirement capital projected to accumulate by the time you turn 67. Riester typically pays off best for families with children and for mid-income employees subject to German social security.
How the calculator works
- Enter your annual gross income — the 4 % minimum own contribution is derived from it.
- Enter your current age — the years remaining until the statutory retirement age of 67 define the saving phase.
- Enter the number of eligible children and add a birth year for each one. Children born in 2008 or later qualify for €300 per year; children born before 2008 qualify for €185.
- Optionally enter your own annual contribution. Leaving it at 0 € applies the minimum own contribution automatically.
- The calculator adds allowances and own contribution to the total annual payment, compounds it at 2 % over the remaining years, and projects the monthly pension across a 20-year payout phase.
Worked example: employee with one child
A 35-year-old employee earns €40,000 gross per year and has one child born in 2015. The basic allowance is €175, the child allowance €300 — €475 of total allowances.
The minimum own contribution is 4 % × €40,000 − €475 = €1,125. Combined with the allowances, €1,600 flows into the contract each year. That figure stays below the €2,100 cap and is fully deductible as a special expense.
At an assumed 2 % annual return and 32 years of saving, the projected retirement capital is around €70,000. Spread across 20 years of payout, that works out to roughly €290 per month.
FAQ
Who is eligible for the Riester pension?+
The scheme is open to employees subject to German social security, civil servants, trainees, parents on parental leave and recipients of unemployment benefit (ALG I). Self-employed people qualify only indirectly through an eligible spouse.
How much is the Riester allowance in 2026?+
The basic allowance is €175 per person per year. The child allowance is €300 per child born in 2008 or later, and €185 per child born before 2008. Both allowances are only paid in full when the minimum own contribution is met.
What is the minimum own contribution?+
The minimum own contribution is 4 % of the previous year's gross income minus the allowances, with a floor of €60 per year. If you pay less, the allowances are reduced proportionally.
How does the special expense deduction work?+
Own contributions plus allowances are deductible as a special expense up to €2,100 per year. The tax office automatically compares your tax saving with the allowance and applies whichever is higher (Günstigerprüfung).
Is Riester worth it for me?+
Riester pays off particularly well for families with children, because the child allowance massively boosts the effective return. High earners benefit from the full special expense deduction. The subsidy effect shrinks for low incomes without children and for contracts started late in working life.
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Background
Riester Pension in Germany 2026: Calculate Subsidies, Contributions & Retirement Benefit
9 Min.