{"id":1779292265,"date":"2026-07-31T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/uncategorized-en-us\/minimum-own-contribution-e120-a-year-keeps-the-subsidy-alive\/"},"modified":"2026-09-24T10:50:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T10:50:53","slug":"minimum-own-contribution-e120-a-year-keeps-the-subsidy-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/minimum-own-contribution-e120-a-year-keeps-the-subsidy-alive\/","title":{"rendered":"Minimum own contribution: \u20ac120 a year keeps the subsidy alive"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"avd-lead\"> The minimum own contribution in the <a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/altersvorsorgedepot\/\">Altersvorsorgedepot<\/a> is <strong>\u20ac120 per year<\/strong>or \u20ac10 a month. If you stay below that, you get no allowance. Not less, but none. Unlike the Riester pension, the threshold is not linked to income. <\/p>\n<aside class=\"avd-callout tldr\">\n<p><strong>The key points at a glance:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u20ac120 a year as the absolute lower limit<\/li>\n<li>No income-based percentage rule as with Riester<\/li>\n<li>\u20ac300 a year secures the full child allowance per child<\/li>\n<li>\u20ac1,800 a year secures the full basic allowance of \u20ac540<\/li>\n<li>Miss the threshold and you lose the child allowance too<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"avd-toc\">\n<p class=\"avd-toc__title\">Table of contents<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"\/#was-ist\">What is the minimum own contribution?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/#drei-schwellen\">The three thresholds at a glance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/#riester\">The difference from Riester<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/#schwankend\">What applies with a fluctuating income<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/#personas\">Three examples<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/#faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"was-ist\">\n<h2>What is the minimum own contribution?<\/h2>\n<p> The state only pays in if you contribute something yourself. The lower limit for this is \u20ac120 per calendar year. If you pay in less, you get nothing at all for that year, not even a pro-rata allowance. <\/p>\n<p> The amount is also called the minimum base contribution. It applies per person and per year, not per contract, and it is deliberately set low. What counts is what has arrived in the securities account by 31 December, not when you transferred it. <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"avd-callout zwischenfazit\">\n<p><strong>What happens at \u20ac119?<\/strong><br \/>No allowance. The limit is hard, not sliding. At \u20ac120, by contrast, there is \u20ac60 of basic allowance, half of what you paid in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"drei-schwellen\">\n<h2>The three thresholds at a glance<\/h2>\n<p> Three amounts are regularly confused because they trigger different things. <\/p>\n<table class=\"avd-table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Amount per year<\/th>\n<th>What it triggers<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\u20ac120<\/td>\n<td>Lower limit. Below this there is no allowance at all.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u20ac300<\/td>\n<td>Full <a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/child-allowance-in-the-altersvorsorgedepot-e300-per-child-per-year\/\">child allowance<\/a> of \u20ac300 per child.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u20ac1,800<\/td>\n<td>Full <a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/basic-allowance-in-the-altersvorsorgedepot-up-to-e540-per-year-from-the-state\/\">basic allowance<\/a> of \u20ac540.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p> Between \u20ac120 and \u20ac1,800 the basic allowance rises in stages. On the first \u20ac360 there is 50 percent, on everything above that up to \u20ac1,800 a further 25 percent. <\/p>\n<table class=\"avd-table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Own contribution<\/th>\n<th>basic allowance<\/th>\n<th>Subsidy rate<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\u20ac120<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac60<\/td>\n<td>50%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u20ac360<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac180<\/td>\n<td>50%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u20ac600<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac240<\/td>\n<td>40%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u20ac1,200<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac390<\/td>\n<td>33%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u20ac1,800<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac540<\/td>\n<td>30%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p> The table shows an effect that hardly any provider explains on its own. The first \u20ac360 is by far the most profitable money in the entire contract. If you have little to spare, that is exactly where to start, rather than not starting at all. <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"riester\">\n<h2>The difference from Riester<\/h2>\n<p> The Riester pension had an income-based minimum own contribution. If you did not pay in four percent of your previous year&#8217;s gross income, your allowance was cut pro rata. For higher earners that meant constant recalculation, and because the cut happened without any notice or notification, in countless cases it only came to light when someone laid the annual statements side by side years later. <\/p>\n<p> This rule does not exist in the Altersvorsorgedepot (Germany&#8217;s state-subsidized retirement investment account). \u20ac1,800 leads to the full basic allowance, regardless of whether you earn \u20ac30,000 or \u20ac130,000. That is one of the few genuine simplifications in the reform, and it removes one of the most common sources of error in the old system. <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"schwankend\">\n<h2>What applies with a fluctuating income<\/h2>\n<p> The calculation is per calendar year. A strong year does not make up for a weak one, and if you pause in 2029 you cannot make up for it in 2030. For <a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/the-self-employed-in-the-altersvorsorgedepot-fully-eligible-for-the-subsidy-for-the-first-time\/\">Self-employed<\/a> with irregular income this is the single most important rule of all. <\/p>\n<p> The practical route is a small standing order as a base load plus a one-off payment in December, when you can see how the year has gone. That way you never fall below the lower limit and still keep room to go higher. <\/p>\n<div class=\"avd-callout\">\n<strong>Watch the booking date:<\/strong> Depending on the provider, a transfer on 30 December may only be credited in January. It then counts towards the following year. Plan the one-off payment with a few days&#8217; buffer. <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"personas\">\n<h2>Three examples<\/h2>\n<div class=\"avd-persona\">\n<p><strong>Jonas, 24, an apprentice, with little to spare.<\/strong> He pays \u20ac10 a month, exactly \u20ac120 a year. For that he receives \u20ac60 of basic allowance and a one-off <a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/career-starter-bonus-e200-free-for-young-savers\/\">career starter bonus<\/a> of \u20ac200. In the first year that comes to <strong>\u20ac260 from the state for \u20ac120 of his own money<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"avd-persona\">\n<p><strong>Katrin, 34, two children, working part-time.<\/strong> She pays \u20ac25 a month, \u20ac300 a year. That secures her \u20ac150 of basic allowance and the full child allowance for both children, \u20ac600 in total. The result is <strong>\u20ac750 in subsidy for \u20ac300 paid in<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"avd-persona\">\n<p><strong>Ralf, 47, a tiler with a fluctuating order book.<\/strong> His standing order is \u20ac20 a month, which secures the lower limit in any case. In December he tops up to \u20ac1,800 depending on how the year went. In weak years he stays below that and loses only part of the allowance, never all of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"avd-faq\" id=\"faq\">\n<h2>Frequently asked questions about the minimum own contribution<\/h2>\n<details>\n<summary>Do the allowances count towards the own contribution?<\/summary>\n<p>No. Only what you transfer yourself counts towards the threshold. The allowance comes on top.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Does the limit apply per contract or per person?<\/summary>\n<p>Per person and year. If you run two securities accounts, you have to spread the contributions so that the subsidy is not wasted.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>What if I take out the contract mid-year?<\/summary>\n<p>The amount applies to the whole calendar year, not pro rata. If you start in November, you should pay the \u20ac120 in during the remaining weeks.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Do I lose the child allowance if I stay below \u20ac120?<\/summary>\n<p>Yes. Without the minimum own contribution the entire subsidy for that year is lost, basic allowance and child allowance alike.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Can I make up for a year I missed?<\/summary>\n<p>No. Each calendar year stands on its own. What you do not pay in is lost as subsidy.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>What applies during parental leave or unemployment?<\/summary>\n<p>The threshold stays at \u20ac120. It is deliberately kept low so that the subsidy remains within reach in lean years too.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"avd-callout zwischenfazit\">\n<p><strong>What should you take away?<\/strong><br \/>\u20ac10 a month keeps the contract in the subsidy. The first \u20ac360 a year brings the highest rate; after that every further euro is subsidized more weakly in relative terms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"small muted\">Last updated: July 2026. Sources: BMF, German federal government, Bundestag printed paper 21\/4088, Deutsche Rentenversicherung.<\/p>\n<section class=\"avd-weiter\">\n<h2>Keep calculating and reading<\/h2>\n<p class=\"avd-weiter__rechner\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/altersvorsorgedepot-calculator-extended\/\">Altersvorsorgedepot calculator Plus<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 calculate the subsidy, tax advantage and final balance for your own situation.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"avd-weiter__links\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/basic-allowance-in-the-altersvorsorgedepot-up-to-e540-per-year-from-the-state\/\">basic allowance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/child-allowance-in-the-altersvorsorgedepot-e300-per-child-per-year\/\">child allowance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/permanent-allowance-application-submit-once-allowance-every-year\/\">permanent allowance application<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"avd-weiter__zielgruppe\">Related content: <a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/altersvorsorgedepot-for-low-earners\/\">Altersvorsorgedepot for low earners<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"avd-weiter__lexikon\">All terms at a glance: <a href=\"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/what-is\/altersvorsorgedepot-glossary-all-terms-from-a-to-z\/\">Glossary from A to Z<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"avd-sources\">\n<h2>Official sources and further information<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bundesfinanzministerium.de\/Content\/DE\/FAQ\/reform-der-privaten-altersvorsorge.html\" rel=\"external nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Federal Ministry of Finance, FAQ on the reform of private retirement provision<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bundesregierung.de\/breg-de\/aktuelles\/reform-private-altersvorsorge-2400072\" rel=\"external nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">German federal government, private retirement provision reform<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bundestag.de\/dokumente\/textarchiv\/2026\/kw13-de-altersvorsorge-1156798\" rel=\"external nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">German Bundestag, resolution on the Altersvorsorgedepot (calendar week 13\/2026)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dserver.bundestag.de\/btd\/21\/040\/2104088.pdf\" rel=\"external nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Bundestag printed paper 21\/4088 (PDF)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de\/DRV\/DE\/Ueber-uns-und-Presse\/Presse\/Meldungen\/2026\/260508-bundesrat-reform-private-altersvorsorge.html\" rel=\"external nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Deutsche Rentenversicherung, reform announcement<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.test.de\/Altersvorsorgedepot-4910361-0\/\" rel=\"external nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Stiftung Warentest, Altersvorsorgedepot<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.verbraucherzentrale.de\/wissen\/geld-versicherungen\/altersvorsorge\/neues-altersvorsorgedepot-rentenchance-oder-teure-verkaufsfalle-118178\" rel=\"external nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Verbraucherzentrale, the new Altersvorsorgedepot: opportunity or sales trap?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u20ac120 per year is the lower limit for the allowance. Which three thresholds there are, how the basic allowance is staged and what applies with a fluctuating income.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_metasync_otto_title":"","_metasync_otto_description":"","_metasync_otto_keywords":"","_metasync_otto_og_title":"","_metasync_otto_og_description":"","_metasync_otto_twitter_title":"","_metasync_otto_twitter_description":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"","_aioseo_title":"","_aioseo_description":"","_metasync_seo_title":"","_metasync_seo_desc":"","_metasync_breadcrumb_title":"","_metasync_primary_category":0,"_metasync_primary_product_cat":0,"_metasync_otto_disabled":"","_metasync_hreflang":"","_metasync_plugin_sync_ts":"","_metasync_robots_advanced":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[73,72],"class_list":["post-1779292265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-what-is","tag-basic-allowance","tag-child-allowance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779292265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1779292265"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779292265\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1779292265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1779292265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altersvorsorgedepot-anbieter-vergleich.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1779292265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}