Family guide
The Frühstart-Rente — explained honestly, for parents
From 2027 the state gifts your child money for retirement every month. Here you’ll calmly learn what’s behind it, what it can really become — and how to pass that knowledge on to your child. No sales pressure, just clarity.
What is the Frühstart-Rente?
From 2027 the state plans to pay 10 € per month into a capital-funded pension depot for every child aged 6 to 18 — income-independent, as long as the child attends school in Germany. Over twelve years that’s up to 1,440 €, for free. This money is meant for retirement and stays locked until pension age.
Who gets it, from when and how much?
School children aged 6 to 18 are eligible. It starts cohort by cohort from 2027, beginning with those born in 2020. Important: the top-up is expected to apply only from the 6th birthday. If your child is younger, the funding isn’t available yet — but starting your own depot early can still pay off and be moved into the Frühstart logic later.
Is 10 € a month really enough?
Honest answer: as a free start it’s wonderful — as a sole pension it’s too little. The real lever is time: over 60 years, compound interest turns small amounts into a multiple. And a small voluntary top-up noticeably changes the outcome. How much that could be for your child — shown as an honest range rather than a polished figure — is in the Frühstart-Rente calculator.
Locked or flexible? The most important decision
The state top-up is reserved for retirement and stays put until 67. If you also want to save for earlier goals — a driving licence, a semester abroad, a first flat — you need a flexible pot too, such as a junior depot. Which part is available when is made visible by the calculator. The clean breakdown of the terms is in the article Frühstart-Rente vs. junior depot.
The most valuable thing you pass on
In the end it isn’t only about a few euros a month. It’s that your child understands early how money works over time. Those who grasp this young make better decisions for life. A simple way to explain it is in the article Compound interest explained simply.
Go deeper
The Frühstart-Rente explained simply: what parents should know in 2026
What’s behind the 10 € from the state, who gets it, from when — and is it actually enough? The honest overview.
Frühstart-Rente, Frühstart depot or junior depot — what’s the difference?
The terms get mixed up constantly. Here’s the clean breakdown — and which option suits which goal.
Compound interest explained simply — and how to show it to your child
Why time is the most important factor, an example to recalculate — and an image a child understands.
What 25, 50 or 100 € a month can become over time
Three realistic examples — a range instead of a pretty single figure. So you get a feel for what your contribution moves.
How to talk to your child about money — age-appropriately and without pressure
Three simple conversations that work better than any pocket-money system. From kindergarten to teenager.
Frühstart-Rente: open questions the law hasn’t answered yet
An honest tracker — what’s already fixed and what still needs to be clarified, dated and kept current.