Insurance tips

The amount of your future pension is determined by the pension factor, while the effective costs affect your final capital. I'll show you where to find these two key figures in the offer, what role Section 163 of the German Insurance Contract Act (VVG) plays, and under what circumstances the insurance wrapper is actually advantageous from a tax perspective.

Basic disability insurance versus occupational disability insurance: What are the differences between the contracts, which clauses determine the provision of benefits, and which variant is recommended for which groups of people.

Storm damage is covered, but damage from heavy rain is not. This article explains when this additional coverage for natural hazards is worthwhile, which contract clauses are relevant, and what impact the planned 2026 regulations will have.

Salary sacrifice schemes are typically advertised as generating €230 in savings from approximately €105 net. However, this calculation is only complete when health and long-term care insurance contributions are factored into the future company pension. This article outlines the limits for 2026, the statutory employer contribution, and the situations in which company pension schemes are not worthwhile.

A place in a care home will cost an average of over €5,000 per month in 2026, of which you will have to pay €3,245 yourself. Benefits from long-term care insurance will remain frozen until 2028, so the gap will continue to widen. This article explains how the costs are calculated, who is liable in an emergency, and what kind of insurance is appropriate and when.

With disability insurance, it's not the amount of the premium that determines whether a payment will be made in a serious situation, but rather the specific wording of individual clauses in the policy terms and conditions. In this article, I analyze the six benefit-relevant clauses in detail: the abstract reference clause, the prognosis period, the retroactive payment of benefits, the review clause, the pre-contractual duty of disclosure, and the reorganization clause...

Switching to private health insurance is almost always calculated at the wrong time: on a single date when the premium appears lowest. This calculation considers the entire working life: eligibility criteria for 2026, the special increase scheduled for 2027, family life, retirement, and the hurdle to returning to private insurance after age 55. The result is a framework you can use to assess your own situation.

The retirement savings account, often referred to as Riester 2.0, is scheduled to be available from January 1, 2027, and will fundamentally restructure private retirement savings. In the future, ETF savings plans will also be subsidized, with a basic allowance of up to €540 annually and a child allowance of up to €300 per child. In this guide, I explain how the retirement savings account works, who is eligible for subsidies, how high the allowances are, how payouts work, and...

US expat in Germany? Understanding PFIC, Form 8621 and FATCA correctly. Individual financial advice for US citizens in the Heidelberg/Weinheim area.