From locals, for everyone
Germany, unlocked.
The German system in one place,
in plain words.
Take the free 2-minute check and get a personal report: what is covered, what may be quietly costing you, and where to start.
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Germany Check
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Germany will pay into your retirement savings. See what that is worth to you.
The Altersvorsorgedepot is the most talked-about money topic in Germany right now: a new savings account where the state adds money on top of every euro you put in. Most people who work here qualify, whatever your passport: employees, civil servants and also most of the self-employed.
This is for you if
- You work in Germany, as an employee, a civil servant or self-employed with a tax return. That alone earns the basic subsidy, no children needed
- Extra if you have children who get Kindergeld: 300 EUR a year more per child
- Extra if you are under 25 when you start: a one-off 200 EUR starter bonus
Ask our finance partner first if
- You might move to a country outside the EU or EEA one day: the subsidies received would then have to be paid back. A move within the EU or EEA does not trigger this
Up to 540 EUR
a year from the state on top of your own contribution
300 EUR
per child and year, as long as Kindergeld runs
200 EUR
one-off starter bonus when you begin under 25
Sample calculation
30 EUR a month from age 28 grows to about 90,000 EUR by 67, roughly 29,500 EUR more than the same savings without the subsidy.
Assumes a 6.5 % return, not guaranteed. Subsidies per the draft law and the tecis factsheet 05/2026; the final law may differ.
Two minutes of questions. A report you can act on.
Answer about 10 quick questions
Who you are first, then health cover, liability, income, your home, pension, tax, investing, your job or your company. No sign-up, no documents needed.
See your status instantly
Every area, money and home, gets a status, from "Often a first priority" to "Covered, by your answers", so you know where to start.
Get your personal report
The why behind each status, what it can typically cost, and where to read more or who can help. Yours to keep, by email.
Your report
SampleHi Alex, 3 of your 5 areas are worth a closer look.
Your income puts both systems in reach. Our finance partner models public vs private with your numbers before the choice locks in.
Often around €1,200 a year differenceNo scheme found beyond the statutory one. A portable third pillar is worth reading about: it can keep your retirement growing, not tied to Germany.
Compounding you cannot buy backYou filed recently. The report lists the deductions most people miss, so next year is claimed too.
Sample report. Yours is built from your answers.
Which sounds like you?
Studying in Germany
Health cover, your first income, and a setup that does not cost you later. Cheap to get right now, expensive to fix in ten years.
What students should sort firstEmployed in Germany
Salary, benefits, the public-or-private health question, and what to do with what is left each month.
See what professionals missFounder or freelancer
No one sorts your health cover, pension or taxes for you. You get the freedom, and all the decisions. We are here, no matter what.
See how we help foundersCompanies
Your people bring their questions to work: home, cover, money, paperwork. We explain it in plain words and bring in the right partners, for every team.
How we support companiesMight leave one day? Read what happens to your pension, investments and cover, whichever group you are in.
Not knowing the system has a price. Every year.
The German system quietly rewards the people who understand it. Everyone else pays for the gaps, and never sees the bill. The most common ones:
The tax refund you never file
Typically around €1,300 a yearA move for work, a commute, a home office, a second household. Many people who moved here could claim a refund, often in the four figures, and never do.
Money asleep in a 0% account
Often 2 to 5% a yearSavings sitting still in a current account while inflation quietly eats 2 to 5% of them every single year.
The health decision made in a hurry
Often around €1,200 a year differencePublic or private, chosen once in your first weeks. The wrong call in a rush follows you for decades.
Subsidies left on the table
Typically around €1,600 a yearEmployer top-ups, state bonuses and allowances written for you, that many people never know to ask for.
Illustrative figures for a typical international household in Germany, not a calculation for you.
People who have been through it themselves.
“I arrived not speaking the language and learned every step the hard way. Now I help people and companies find the right partners from day one.”
Artur Jarosiewicz
Business development lead, Pontaro
English, German
“Artur has a remarkable ability to grasp complex situations quickly, and gave me extremely valuable impulses for expanding my company into new markets.”
Milena Gencheva
CEO, Unify Bulgaria
Pontaro client, quoted from pontaro.de (translated from German)
“In a short time he developed a thorough understanding of our situation and the challenges we faced.”
Alzbeta Bielokostolska
Co-founder, Holprom Slovakia
Pontaro client, quoted from pontaro.de (translated from German)
“Great partners with a vast network of professionals.”
R. Jain
The Bears Berlin
Estrach & Jung client, as published on estrachjung.com
No fee from you. Here is how that works.
Unlock Germany charges you no fee, and the call you book here is free. Every partner pays us for each introduction, and a partner may charge for its own services under its own terms. The payment never decides who we introduce you to.
Each partner works in its own field, under its own terms and, where needed, its own licence. Your contract is always with the partner, not with us.
Unlock Germany is an independent platform with carefully selected partners. We carefully assess partners based on expertise, reputation, experience with internationals and service quality.
Financial services. Cover, investments and pensions, compared by our finance partner and put in writing.
Our finance partner, tecis
- Housing. Our housing partner searches the whole market and handles the application with you.
- Company financing. Grants, subsidised loans and investor money for your company, with our financing partner.
- Business development. Entering the German market and winning your first customers, with our business development partner.
- Community. A free monthly founders evening in Berlin, with our community partner.
- TaxesComing soon. Help with the refund you are owed, from a tax partner.
- LegalComing soon. Contracts, residence and company paperwork, with a legal partner.
Prefer to explore on your own first?
8 free calculators and guides in plain words, no email needed.
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, our finance partner can 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. Our finance partner models both for your situation before you decide.
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. Our free guides explain what can typically be claimed.
Do I have to speak German to work with you?
No. We explain everything in English, and our partners' advisors work with you in English too, documents included. 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.
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The International's Guide to Money in Germany: the full picture in plain words, free by email.