AfD on pensions

The AfD wants social insurance benefits that are not backed by contributions to be paid from the federal budget. In the platform's view, contributions are currently being misused. This is meant to allow higher benefits or lower contribution rates.

Some social insurance benefits have nothing to do with what people paid in. The AfD wants taxes to pay for these benefits. Then more money stays in the insurance funds. Pensions can go up or contributions can go down.

The platform distinguishes between contribution-funded insurance for pensions, health, long-term care and unemployment, and tax-funded welfare benefits. It criticizes that the 2024 budget was partly repaired using the insurance funds and that Covid measures were paid for through the long-term care fund. For the pension system, the AfD expects nearly twelve percent more money if the federal government takes over these benefits. The change is to happen over the medium term.

The AfD wants to raise pensions substantially and gradually reach the Western European average of just over 70 percent of final net income. To do so, more people are to pay into the pension fund, including politicians and most public employees. Retirement is to become more flexible.

The AfD wants higher pensions. The goal is about 70 percent of a person's last net pay. Politicians should also pay into the pension fund. Fewer public workers should become civil servants. After 45 years of work, people should be able to retire with no cuts.

The platform puts Germany's pension level at 53 percent according to Eurostat and points to Austria as a model. Civil servant status is to be reserved for those carrying out sovereign state functions. After 45 contribution years, retirement without deductions is to be possible. The AfD wants to offset rising pension contributions with lower taxes for workers and businesses, stop counting extra earnings against survivors' pensions, give more credit for parenthood and reform the pension law for ethnic German resettlers. It also lists an extra tax allowance of 12,000 euros for working retirees, lower income and corporate taxes, and immigration only of skilled workers.

The AfD wants tax incentives for private and workplace retirement savings in stocks, ETFs and funds, replacing the current subsidy schemes. In addition, the state is to open a retirement account for every newborn child with German citizenship and pay into it until age 18.

The AfD wants to support saving for old age with stocks. Savers should get tax benefits. Every newborn German child should get a savings account. The state pays in 100 euros each month for 18 years. The money is paid out only from age 65.

In the platform's view, capital markets have been neglected in securing pensions. The AfD wants to draw on models from other countries and replace existing subsidy schemes, which it describes as bureaucratic. The Junior-Spardepot applies to children with German citizenship who live permanently in Germany. From age 18 they can keep paying in themselves. Payouts start at 65 through a withdrawal plan, and the capital is locked until then.