Aktivrente calculator: working past retirement age in Germany
Updated:
Working past the standard retirement age is now tax-advantaged. Compare retiring at the standard age with starting your pension later.
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Aktivrente calculator: working past the standard retirement age
How it works
Since 1 January 2026, wages from employment subject to social insurance are tax-free up to €2,000 a month (€24,000 a year) after you reach the standard retirement age. Self-employment and mini-jobs are excluded; health and care insurance contributions still apply.
Worked example
Born 1962, €3,800 gross a month, 38 earnings points according to the pension statement, with children, statutory health insurance, no church tax.
Pension start without deduction: 1 September 2027
| Gross pension | €1,661 |
|---|---|
| Health insurance | − €145 |
| Long-term care insurance | − €60 |
| Income tax | − €25 |
| Net pension | €1,431 |
Working 12 months longer (Aktivrente): pension start 1 March 2030, net pension €1,589; net pay while working €3,046 a month.
Amounts in today's purchasing power; the same inputs in the calculator give the same figures.
Deferring the pension: 0.5% more per month
If you do not draw your pension after the standard retirement age, it increases by 0.5% for each month – 6% more after one year, for life. If you keep paying contributions, you also collect additional earnings points.
Pension insurance after the standard retirement age
Once they reach the standard retirement age, employees are in principle exempt from pension insurance; the employer still pays its share. You can waive the exemption and then collect further earnings points with your own contributions, which raise your pension every year.
When you reach the standard retirement age
The Aktivrente applies from the month after you reach the standard retirement age. For people born in 1963 that is 66 years and 10 months, from 1964 on 67 years; all years of birth are in the retirement age table.
Legal basis and sources
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to defer my pension to use the Aktivrente?
No, the tax exemption also applies if you already draw your pension. Scenario C in the calculator shows the case where you defer the pension and keep working.
From when does the Aktivrente apply?
Since 1 January 2026, from the month after reaching the standard retirement age. People who reached it earlier and are still working have benefited since January 2026.
Does the Aktivrente apply to mini-jobs and the self-employed?
No. Only wages from employment subject to social insurance are tax-free. Self-employed income and mini-jobs are excluded.
How much more pension does one more year of work bring?
Deferring the pension by a year adds 6% for life. If you also pay contributions, a year of work at average earnings adds roughly one more earnings point. The worked example above shows both for a specific person.
Are social contributions still due on the wage?
Yes, health and care insurance contributions still apply. In pension and unemployment insurance you are exempt after the standard retirement age, but you can keep paying pension contributions voluntarily.