The amount of your future statutory pension does not depend solely on the number of years you have worked. What is crucial are the so-called pension points, officially also known as earnings points. They show how your insured income compared to the average income of all insured persons.

Those who understand how pension points are generated and how they are incorporated into the pension formula can better interpret their own pension information and identify potential gaps in provision early on.

Pension points form a central basis for the amount of the statutory pension. Simplified, the following applies:

• Anyone who earns exactly the average salary of all insured persons in one year receives approximately 1.0 pension points.
• Half of the average salary results in approximately 0.5 pension points.
• An income of 150 percent of the average salary results in approximately 1.5 pension points.

The more pension points accumulated over the course of an insured person's life, the higher their later gross monthly pension will be.

The simplified calculation is:

Annual gross income subject to social security contributions ÷ Average earnings = Pension points

For 2026, the provisional average earnings are €51,944 per year.

Examples for 2026

With an annual gross income of €51,944, insured persons will receive approximately one pension point in 2026. Those who earn about €25,972 gross will accumulate around 0.5 pension points. With an annual gross income of €77,916, approximately 1.5 pension points will be generated.

These examples are for guidance only. The actual pension calculation takes into account, among other things, contributory earnings, insurance periods, and individual circumstances.

The current pension value determines the monthly gross amount that one earnings point is worth for an old-age pension without deductions.

Since July 1, 2026, the current pension value nationwide is:

1 pension point = €42.52 monthly gross pension

This means in calculation:

• 10 pension points → approx. €425.20 monthly
  
• 20 pension points → approx. €850.40 monthly
  
• 30 pension points → approx. €1,275.60 monthly
  
• 40 pension points → approx. €1,700.80 monthly
  
• 45 pension points → approx. €1,913.40 monthly

*Simplified calculation with access factor 1.0 and pension type factor 1.0. Contributions to health and long-term care insurance, as well as taxes if applicable, may be deducted from the gross pension.

The statutory pension insurance calculates the monthly pension according to a fixed formula:

Pension points × Access factor × Current pension value × Pension type factor = Monthly pension

The individual factors mean the following:

• Pension points: Your pension points accumulated over your working life.
• Access factor: This takes into account whether you retire earlier, at the regular time, or later. For a regular retirement, it is generally 1.0.
• Current pension value: The euro value of a pension point. Since July 1, 2026, it has been €42.52.
• Pension type factor: This depends on the respective type of pension. For an old-age pension, it is usually 1.0.

It's not just traditional years of employment that can influence your future pension. Depending on your personal situation, the following periods, among others, can be taken into account in your pension account:

• employment subject to compulsory insurance
• periods of child-rearing
• care of relatives
• training periods
• certain periods of unemployment
• mini-jobs subject to compulsory pension insurance
• military service, voluntary service, or comparable periods

Under certain conditions, compulsory contributions can be credited to your pension account for child-rearing and care. It is therefore worthwhile to regularly check your pension information and to have any missing periods added in good time during an account clarification.

There is no blanket answer to this question. How much money is needed in retirement depends on factors such as housing costs, lifestyle, health status, and other income.

A frequently cited guideline is that someone who earns an average income for approximately 45 years and accumulates around 45 pension points will, based on the pension value from July 2026, statistically receive about €1,913 gross monthly pension.

Whether this amount is sufficient in individual cases varies. Therefore, it may be advisable to supplement the state pension with occupational or private provisions and savings.

For many people, the statutory pension only provides basic old-age security. Rising living costs and demographic change make additional provision increasingly important.

These include, for example:

• private pension plans
  
• company pension schemes
  
• ETF and fund savings
  
• additional reserves
  

Those who plan ahead can significantly better bridge pension gaps in old age.

Financial planning is an important part of living an independent life in old age. It can be just as important to make everyday life at home and on the go as safe as possible.

A mobile emergency call system like the Gardia Emergency Call Bracelet can help to quickly organize help in an emergency. It is aimed particularly at people who want to live independently for as long as possible, as well as at relatives who want more safety in everyday life.

Pension points are a major factor in determining the amount of the statutory pension later on. For 2026, a preliminary average income of €51,944 applies; since July 1, 2026, one pension point is worth €42.52 in monthly gross pension.

Regularly checking your pension information, clarifying any missing periods in your pension account, and planning ahead creates a better foundation for retirement. In addition to financial planning, practical security can also help you live independently for as long as possible in old age.

• German Pension Insurance: How is my pension calculated?

• German Pension Insurance: Current pension value

• German Pension Insurance: Average income

• German Pension Insurance: Raising children – your plus for your pension

• German Pension Insurance: Caring for relatives also pays off for your pension

• German Pension Insurance: Pension adjustment 2026