Enter your gross annual salary to calculate your 2026 German social security contributions (Sozialversicherung): pension, health, long-term care, and unemployment insurance.
German Social Security Calculator
Live| Pension insurance (Rentenversicherung, 9.3%) | EUR 5,580.00 |
| Health insurance (Krankenversicherung, ~8.75%) | EUR 5,250.00 |
| Long-term care (Pflegeversicherung) | EUR 1,440.00 |
| Unemployment insurance (Arbeitslosenversicherung, 1.3%) | EUR 780.00 |
| Total employee contribution | EUR 13,050.00 |
| Net after social security | EUR 46,950.00 |
The 2026 rates used
EUR 60,000 gross salary, with children: pension EUR 5,580, health EUR 5,250, care EUR 1,440, unemployment EUR 780 - total employee contribution of EUR 13,050, leaving EUR 46,950 before income tax is applied.
Why income tax isn't included here
German income tax (Einkommensteuer) is calculated using a genuinely complex progressive formula under Section 32a EStG - not simple fixed brackets like many other countries use. The tax rate rises smoothly and continuously within each income zone using a quadratic mathematical formula, with the exact coefficients adjusted by legislation nearly every year to counter inflation ("cold progression"). Because those exact coefficients change annually and require precise verification against official government sources, this calculator deliberately focuses on the social security contributions, which use straightforward, verifiable percentage rates with clear ceilings. For your Einkommensteuer specifically, the official BMF Lohnsteuerrechner (Federal Ministry of Finance calculator) is the authoritative source.
Common mistakes
Frequently asked questions
Does my employer pay these contributions too?
Yes - Germany's social security system is built on parity, meaning your employer generally matches your contribution roughly equally (with some small variations by insurance type), effectively doubling the total amount paid into the system on your behalf.
Why do pension and unemployment insurance have a higher ceiling than health and care?
Each social insurance branch sets its own contribution ceiling (Beitragsbemessungsgrenze) independently, and these are adjusted separately each year - there's no requirement that they align with each other.
Can I opt out of statutory health insurance?
Only if your income exceeds a specific annual threshold (the Versicherungspflichtgrenze), at which point you may choose private health insurance instead of the statutory system - otherwise, statutory coverage is mandatory for most employees.
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