What is the €200 starting bonus and who gets it?
Last updated: · under the rules from 1 January 2027 · Publisher: INTERNA · responsible: Marc A. Schnitzler, in mortgage financing since 2005
The starting bonus is a one-off subsidy of €200, on top of the basic subsidy. You get it if you are eligible, have a subsidised contract and are not yet 25 at the start of the year. The Federal Ministry of Finance calls it Berufseinsteigerbonus, the career starter bonus. You do not need to be starting a career to receive it; what counts is your age.
Who gets it
- You are eligible yourself, for example in in-company vocational training, in a job as an employee or in a mini-job (Minijob, a small job with a low wage) at a company with pension insurance.
- You are not yet 25 at the start of the year.
- You pay at least €120 a year into your contract.
The starting bonus is only paid once. If you are subsidised through a spouse’s contract, you do not get it.
What it adds in the first year
| Savings per month | you pay in per year | Basic subsidy | Starting bonus | from the state in the first year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €10 | €120 | €60 | €200 | €260 |
| €25 | €300 | €150 | €200 | €350 |
| €50 | €600 | €240 | €200 | €440 |
| €150 | €1,800 | €540 | €200 | €740 |
With €25 a month you pay in €300 a year and get €350 from the state in the first year. From the second year on, you get the basic subsidy without the starting bonus.
Why the timing matters
The starting bonus depends on your age at the start of the year. If you turn 25 during a year, you can still get it for that year. If you are already 25 on 1 January, you no longer get it.
How much subsidy does your household get? The subsidy calculator works out in one minute how much subsidy you can get. An advisor then checks with you whether everything fits your situation. This conversation is free of charge and in English.
Calculate your subsidyFrequently asked questions
How much is the career starter bonus?
A one-off €200, on top of the basic subsidy.
Do I have to be just starting my career?
No. What counts is that you are eligible and not yet 25 at the start of the year.
Can I still get the bonus at 25?
Only if you were still 24 at the start of the year. If you are already 25 on 1 January, you no longer get it.
Read more
Sources
- Federal Ministry of Finance: questions and answers on the reform of private pensions (in German)
- Federal Law Gazette 2026 I No. 156: Altersvorsorgereformgesetz, the pension reform act (in German)
The money in the contract is meant for your retirement and your own home. If you have the subsidised savings paid out early, for example by cancelling the contract, you have to pay back the subsidies and tax benefits.
The examples explain the legal rules in simplified form. They do not replace tax or legal advice for your personal situation. Contract costs and interest are not included. This page was created with the help of artificial intelligence and translated from the German original. INTERNA is responsible for its content. More information