Altersvorsorgedepot: What Germany's New Retirement Savings Plan Offers High Earners

Herz — World Desk · 30 July 2026 at 16:32 · 30s summary · 3 min read

What We Know

Germany has adopted the Altersvorsorgedepot—a new state-subsidized retirement savings account—to replace the Riester-Rente, an individual retirement savings instrument created by Germany's 2001 pension reforms. The Riester-Rente stops being sold on December 31, 2026, according to Handelsblatt.

Starting January 2027, employees, self-employed workers, and civil servants will gain access to state support through this new vehicle. The Riester-Rente was restricted to employees covered by the statutory pension scheme, excluding the other two groups.

State Subsidy and Tax Benefits

The subsidy is tiered: the state contributes EUR 0.50 per euro saved up to EUR 360 annual contribution, then EUR 0.25 per euro from EUR 361 to EUR 1,800. Maximum annual subsidy is EUR 540.

Combined with EUR 1,800 personal contribution, total annual investment reaches EUR 2,340. For someone in the 42% tax bracket—applicable from EUR 70,000 annual income—the additional tax refund is EUR 443 per year.

For top earners in the 50% bracket (five-figure monthly income), the tax advantage reaches EUR 630 annually, according to Michael Huber of VZ Vermögenszentrum, a Swiss financial services provider founded in 1993.

30-Year Wealth Projections

If the EUR 443 annual tax savings are reinvested in an equity ETF portfolio earning 6.5% after fees, they generate approximately EUR 40,500 over 30 years, according to Michael Huber.

With maximum subsidy and the same 6.5% hypothetical return, total wealth approaches EUR 250,000 over 30 years.

The Excess Savings Option