How much income do you need for a pension point? (Image: Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels)
In the German pension insurance, everything revolves around a central key figure: the Pension point.
Ultimately, it determines how high the monthly pension is in old age. But how do you actually get such a point? Quite simply: you have to earn enough – not just any amount, but exactly what is considered an average income of all insured in one year. For 2025, this value has gone significantly.
So if you plan to optimize your pension claims or just to orient yourself better, you should know the thresholds exactly.
When do you get a pension point?
The so -called average fee is included in 2025 50,493 euros gross per yeararound 4,208 euros per month.
Whoever achieves this income gets exactly a full pension point credited. If you earn less, the point of points is correspondingly smaller. Those who earn more get proportionately more points – up to a statutory maximum.
The calculation follows a simple formula:
Pension points = annual income / average payments subject to contributions
Specifically, this means that those who earn 60,000 euros gross a year will share this number through the 50,493 euros average and lands on 1.19 pension points for the year. This calculation is simple – but it is crucial if you want to realistically assess how much legal pension can be expected later.
Example: pension points depending on the gross annual income
For a rough orientation: the following income leads to the pension points below in 2025:
More than 1.91 pension points per year Nobody can collect, because at this point the so -called contribution ceiling grabs. Income above this threshold is irrelevant – the contributions are capped, the points too.
How many points do you need for a specific pension?
Conversely, it is very easy to calculate how many points you need to get a certain pension amount. And that’s how it works:
Desired monthly pension ÷ pension value (€ 40.79) = required pension points
Here are a few examples from practice:
These numbers show that if you want to get a pension of 2,000 euros, for example, you need almost 49 pension points – and that is a lot.
Because on average an average earner collects with an annual salary of round 50,493 euros just one point a year. Say: For 49 points you would have to Earn the average for 49 years – without interruption, part -time, illness or unemployment.
Realistic span: How many pension points actually come out in the end?
The reality usually looks different. Only a few employees manage to earn full -time at average level – and even if, 45 years of working are already ambitious.
In practice, the pension points often look like this:
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Many years of full -time employees with medium -sized incomes: 35–42 points
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People with part -time phases, child rearing, illness etc.: 20-30 points
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Low earning or multiple interrupted employment biographies: below 20 points
And that then leads to pensions between 800 and 1,300 euros gross – depending on how it went.
Special cases: buy points or additional provision
Anyone who can foresee the points in the course of their professional life cannot be enough for from 50 Also buy pension points. 2025 costs a point 9,391.70 euros – An investment that pays off after around 19 years of pension. But is more for people with a corresponding financial scope.
The following applies to everyone else: Private provision remains a must if you strive for a pension above the subsistence level. Especially if there is no seamless work biography or family planning brings with it longer breaches.
Changes in 2025: new thresholds, fewer pension points with the same content
Compared to the previous year, the latte for a pension point 2025 has increased significantly.
In 2024 the average fee was still included 45,358 euros – Whoever had this income received a full point at the time. The new level is included for 2025 50,493 eurosso round 11.3 percent more. This means that if you earn as much in the new year as in the old, you will still receive fewer pension points.
Anyone who took 1.32 points with 60,000 euros in 2024 will only get 1.19 in 2025. The consequence: In the long term, the pension claim rate for stagnant income decreases.
This applies in particular to people with medium -sized incomes who work with constant wages but do not receive any tariff increases or inflation adjustments. In practice, this means for many: Despite full -time job, fewer pension points than before – with the corresponding effects in old age.
Development of the average wage: Why the pension threshold is getting higher and higher
The threshold for a pension point is no random – it is based on the development of all gross wages subject to social security contributions.
An average of 45,358 euros was found for 2024. In 2025 it is now 50,493 euros-this corresponds to a decent leap, triggered by strong tariff qualifications, catching up to do with Corona years and inflation.
By 2030, experts expect a further increase 56,000 to 58,000 euros annually. So if you want to keep an eye on your pension claims in the long term, you should not orientate yourself to today’s values ​​- but to the development.
Because: If you still earn 50,000 euros in five years, you will then be classified significantly below average – with correspondingly fewer pension points.
Contribution limit 2025: earning more does not bring more points to unlimited points
There is also a limit upwards. The so -called contribution ceiling is included for 2025 96,600 euros Gross annually.
If you also earn, you will no longer pay for any further pension contributions for income above this limit – but you will no longer receive any additional points. The pension point is at 1.91 points a year cap.
This limit is important for well -earned: A gross income of 120,000 euros does not bring you more than 96,600 euros. Everything that lies above falls out of the pension calculation. So if you are traveling in these areas, you should invest in a targeted manner in private or operational provision – because in these cases the statutory pension only covers a small part of the usual standard of living.
Wage dynamics and pension points: why salary increases are so important
An interesting effect is evident in stagnating salaries: Those who move into the same gross wage for years will realize pension points – because the average fee continues to increase. Example: In 2024, 60,000 euros still brought 1.32 pension points, in 2025 it was only 1.19 – although the salary remained the same. So if you want to keep up with the average, you need regular salary adjustments. Without this, personal pension entitlement drops, even if the work performance remains identical.
Conclusion: pension points hang directly on the gross content
The following applies to 2025: If you want to receive a full pension point, you have to at least 50,493 euros gross per year earn. If you earn less, you are calculated proportionately – you earn more, the point value also increases, but only up to the maximum limit of 1.91 points per year.
Especially in times of increasing average wages and inflation -related wage adjustments, employees should regularly check their pension points – and supplement private provision at an early stage. Because the legal pension system alone will probably no longer be sufficient in the future to keep the usual standard of living.
If you plan in the long term and act specifically with a view to pension points, you can already secure a noticeable lead for tomorrow. The number on the salary slip is more than just gross – it is the basis for financial stability in old age.