Social security contributions in Germany in 2026
Social security contributions in Germany in 2026: pension and health insurance, care, unemployment and solidarity surcharge. Who pays and how much.
Income tax in Germany
Two different things are deducted from the gross salary, and they are often confused. Taxes are the Lohnsteuer, plus church tax if you belong to a church, plus the remnants of the Solidaritätszuschlag for high earners. Social security contributions are separate: pension, health, care and unemployment insurance.
Do pensioners pay tax?
Pensions in Germany are taxable, but far from entirely and not for everyone. For the majority of standard old-age pension recipients, no tax arises at all: the amount does not reach the tax-free allowance. For those who receive more or have other income, the tax is calculated according to rules that are worth understanding in advance.
Scalable Capital closes accounts of clients with a Russian passport
In early August clients of Scalable Capital with a Russian passport started receiving notices that their service was being terminated. In the cases known to us the account is closed on
DAX — German stock index
The DAX (Deutscher Aktienindex) shows how the German stock market is performing overall. It is a basket of
ETF savings plan
ETF savings plan is an instruction to your broker: to debit a fixed amount every month or quarter and use it to buy units of a chosen fund. You set it up once — after that, everything happens automatically, including the purchase of fractional shares if you don't have enough money for a whole one.
Everything you need to know about ETFs
, or exchange-traded funds, are an important element of the modern investment world. But what is an ETF, and why are they attracting the attention of investors? In this article, we will examine the key aspects of ETFs, explain how they work, and why they have become a popular tool for portfolio diversification and achieving financial goals.
ETFs — exchange-traded investment funds
An ETF is a fund that tracks the composition of a stock market index. By buying a single share, you don't get the stock of an individual company, but rather a basket of hundreds or thousands of securities all at once. The manager doesn't try to beat the market, so the management fee is many times lower than that of active funds.
Robocalls claiming to be from PayPal: how the scam works
The call starts with an automated voice message (Bandansage) supposedly from PayPal: a suspicious payment has been initiated on your account, press "1" to cancel it. The scam is not new — the Bundesnetzagentur officially warned about it back in 2023 — but according to the Verbraucherzentrale it is still around in 2026. Here is why it works and what to do.
State pension in Germany
Retirement age table by year of birth, how pension points are calculated, what 35 contribution years give you and the deductions for early retirement.
How to file a tax return in Germany yourself
The tax return (Steuererklärung) in Germany seems like a complex task, especially if you are self-employed or have several sources of income. However, knowing the basic principles, you can easily put together your annual tax return yourself, get back some of the tax paid, and perhaps even turn filling out the return into an engaging activity.
Self-directed investing with WhiteBox
In the digital age, investing is becoming more accessible and efficient. Freiburg im Breisgau-based company Whitebox offers an intelligent approach to wealth management, combining traditional investment instruments, such as ETFs, exchange-traded commodities (ETCs) and partially active funds, with cutting-edge technology and deep expert analytics.
Financial security for retired women in Germany
Financial security in retirement is the key to a calm and free life. However, women in Germany face a whole range of obstacles: lower salaries, career breaks and insufficient attention to pension planning. In this article, you will learn what steps will help you avoid financial risks and secure your financial safety.
Everything you need to know about Vermögenswirksame Leistungen
What VL is, how much your employer adds, how to claim both state bonuses at once and what to do if your employer does not pay Vermögenswirksame Leistungen.
Child savings
When parents think about building capital for their children—for education, a flat, a car, a wedding or a first driver's licence—it is a sensible step. Providing starting capital will help significantly ease future expenses, such as tuition or buying a home. For example, getting a driving licence in Germany can cost between 3,000 and 4,000 euros. In such situations, children's savings can turn out to be very useful.
