From internationals, for internationals
Build your financial life in Germany with confidence.
Insurance, investing, pensions and taxes, explained in English by people who have been through it themselves.
Germany Financial Check
2 of 6 sortedFree, about 2 minutes, no sign-up to start.
The money most internationals leave on the table.
Not because they are careless, but because no one explains the German system in plain English. These are the blind spots that quietly cost the most.
Which insurance you actually need, and which you do not
Whether public or private health insurance is right for you
How much tax refund you could be claiming back
Which employer benefits and subsidies you are missing
How to start investing here without overpaying in fees
What happens to your pension if you ever leave Germany
We help you avoid the costly mistakes and make informed decisions.
Four steps, and the tools for each.
You do not have to do everything at once. Here is the order that works, from protected to flexible, with a free tool for each step.
Get set up & protected
Land properly and cover the risks that actually matter.
Stop overpaying
See where your money really goes each month.
Build wealth
Put what is left to work for the long term.
Stay flexible
Keep it all working if you move on from Germany.
Building something of your own in Germany?
When you work for yourself, no employer sorts your health cover, pension or taxes. You get the freedom, and all the decisions. We help international founders set the financial side up properly, in English.
We support Founders Night, the monthly founder meetup in Berlin. Come say hi in person, or get set up with a quiet call afterwards.
Health cover, your choice
Self-employed can pick public or private freely. We model both for your numbers.
Liability & protection
Professional and personal liability, and cover for the income you depend on.
A pension you build
No employer scheme, so we set up a portable third pillar that fits irregular income.
Cashflow & investing
Smoothing lumpy freelance income and putting the surplus to work.
Leaving Germany one day?
Plenty of internationals move on after a few years. Done right, what you built here keeps working. Set it up flexibly now, and a move abroad later stays simple.
Read the full Leaving Germany guideYour pension
Contributions kept; payouts set up so they are not locked to Germany.
Your investments
Portfolios you can keep running from wherever you move next.
Your insurance
Which policies travel with you, and which to drop when you go.
Your taxes
Your final filing, and the refunds you can still claim.
Real people who built their financial life here too.
Your advisor is an international who navigated the German system in a second language, just like you. Lived experience, not a script.
“I arrived not speaking the language and made every expensive mistake myself. Now I make sure you do not have to.”
Artur Jarosiewicz
Lead expat advisor
English, German
“They told me one product I was about to buy was not worth it. They talked me out of a sale. That honesty is why I stayed.”
Priya K.
Researcher, from India
“They found tax refunds I had no idea existed. The advice paid for itself, easily.”
Sofia M.
Product designer, from Spain
“Sorted my liability insurance in one short call. My landlord had the proof the same week.”
Daniel O.
Software engineer, from Nigeria
“My retirement grows quietly in the background, and the payouts are not tied to Germany.”
Iris B.
Clinical research associate
“No jargon, no pressure. It felt like advice from a friend who happens to know the system.”
Filipe C.
Founder, from Brazil
“Finally someone explained public vs private health in plain English, with my numbers.”
Raj K.
Data scientist, from India
“They told me one product I was about to buy was not worth it. They talked me out of a sale. That honesty is why I stayed.”
Priya K.
Researcher, from India
“They found tax refunds I had no idea existed. The advice paid for itself, easily.”
Sofia M.
Product designer, from Spain
“Sorted my liability insurance in one short call. My landlord had the proof the same week.”
Daniel O.
Software engineer, from Nigeria
“My retirement grows quietly in the background, and the payouts are not tied to Germany.”
Iris B.
Clinical research associate
“No jargon, no pressure. It felt like advice from a friend who happens to know the system.”
Filipe C.
Founder, from Brazil
“Finally someone explained public vs private health in plain English, with my numbers.”
Raj K.
Data scientist, from India
How we work, and how you pay.
The short answer on cost: you pay us nothing. We are paid by the provider only if you take out a product, never by you, and that never decides what we recommend. Here is the full picture, in the open.
Independent by design
We compare around 250 pre-vetted insurance, investment and banking partners. The choice is about fit, not one provider's shelf.
What you pay: nothing
The first conversation is free, and when you take out a product the provider pays us a commission, never you on top of it.
How we recommend
We suggest what fits your situation and timeline, and put the reasoning in writing so you can check it.
When we say do nothing
If a product is not worth it for you, we say so. Walking you away from a sale is part of the job.
Independent brand, serious German infrastructure.
Unlock Germany is an independent, English-first brand for internationals, powered by tecis Finanzdienstleistungen AG, a Swiss Life company advising across Germany since 1986. You deal with us; tecis provides the platform, licensing and the vetted panel of ~250 partners behind the scenes.
More about the companyUnderstand the system, one read at a time.
Plain-English explainers and practical tips on the money topics expats ask about most. New pieces added over time.
What happens to your German pension if you leave
Whether you stay in the EU or move further afield, here is what happens to the contributions you have paid.
Read 7 minInsuranceGKV vs PKV: choosing German health insurance
Public or private health cover is one of the first big decisions you make in Germany. Here is the plain-English version.
Read 8 minInsuranceThe insurances most expats in Germany actually need
Germany has an insurance for almost everything. Here is what is genuinely worth having, and what usually is not.
Read 6 minMoneyHow to read your German payslip
Gross, net, and a column of abbreviations. Here is what each deduction on your Gehaltsabrechnung means.
Read 7 minOr get the whole thing in one place.
The International's Guide to Money in Germany: the full picture in plain English, the guide we wish we had when we arrived, so you can skip the expensive trial and error.
Get the guide, free by email
Questions expats actually ask.
What happens to my pension if I leave Germany?
The statutory contributions you have paid are generally preserved. Within the EU or EEA your record stays connected; move further afield and you may be able to claim a refund or face a waiting period. On top of that we set up private and company pensions whose payouts are not tied to Germany, so your retirement keeps working wherever you end up.
Should I choose public or private health insurance?
It depends mainly on your income, age, health and family plans. Public (GKV) is the default and usually the best value. Private (PKV) can mean better cover and, while you are young and healthy, sometimes lower premiums, but it is a long-term commitment that is hard to reverse and premiums tend to rise with age. We model both for your situation before you decide.
When can I switch to private health insurance?
As an employee, once your gross salary passes the yearly threshold, roughly €73,000 to €78,000 a year, which is updated each year. Self-employed and freelancers can usually choose freely. We help you weigh it up carefully, because switching back later is not always possible.
Can I keep my investments if I move abroad?
In most cases yes. ETF and fund portfolios can usually be kept and run from abroad. Your broker, tax residency and reporting obligations may change, so we flag exactly what to adjust before you go. Selling everything in a rush on the way out is often the costliest mistake.
Do I really need private liability insurance?
For most people in Germany, yes. Private liability (Privathaftpflicht) is inexpensive, often around €30 to €60 a year, covers the costly everyday accidents you would otherwise pay for yourself, and landlords frequently ask for proof before you sign a lease.
How far back can I claim a tax refund?
Usually up to four years. With a move for work, a commute, a home office, a second household or paid training, refunds are often in the four figures. We point you to what you can claim, or connect you with a tax partner who files it for you.
Do I have to speak German to work with you?
No. Your advisor, your documents and your plan are all in English. We bring in the German terms only where they matter, and explain them in plain language.
Still have a question? Take the free 2-min check, or book a quick call and just ask.
Start building your future in Germany.
Free, no sign-up, and about two minutes to see where you stand.