Altersvorsorgedepot when moving abroad

Tilman Freyenhagen

Published on 14 June 2026 · Updated on 7 August 2026 · Managing Director & Partner, Alsterspree Verlag GmbH

The new Altersvorsorgedepot and moving abroad: an overview

If you move abroad, what happens to the state subsidy for your Altersvorsorgedepot, which launches in 2027 as the successor to Riester, depends primarily on your new place of residence. Move within the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA) and the state subsidy generally stays intact^[1]. Move your residence permanently to a country outside the EU and EEA, however, and once your unlimited income tax liability in Germany ends, you generally have to repay the allowances and tax benefits you received, or leave the account dormant^[2]. The account contract itself is unaffected and continues to run.

The tax fork in the road: EU countries versus non-EU countries

The legal distinction between moving within the EU and moving to a non-EU country is set out in the Income Tax Act (Einkommensteuergesetz). Freedom of movement for EU citizens protects your allowances within the Union, but a permanent move to a country such as Switzerland or the United States often costs you eligibility. If you emigrate there and your unlimited income tax liability in Germany ends, the law treats this as a detrimental use of the account. Allowances and tax benefits already credited then generally have to be repaid, unless you suspend contributions to your account. Our guide to the Altersvorsorgedepot has more detail on the exact legal conditions.

Before you move abroad, have the tax consequences for your retirement provision checked precisely. Individual advice helps you avoid financial drawbacks such as unexpected repayment demands and adapt the account optimally to your new circumstances. Our portal makes this easy by connecting you to an independent advice service that puts you in touch with experts in cross-border retirement planning.

Unlimited tax liability: the foundation of the state subsidy

Eligibility for the state subsidy on the new Altersvorsorgedepot is tightly bound to the German tax system. The fundamental requirement is unlimited income tax liability in Germany under Section 1 of the Income Tax Act (Einkommensteuergesetz). Anyone with a residence or habitual abode in Germany is unlimitedly liable for tax and therefore generally entitled to the state allowances and tax benefits of the Altersvorsorgedepot. Our knowledge section has more detail on this. Move the centre of your life abroad, and this status generally lapses, which directly affects your subsidy.

There are important exceptions for mobile workers and emigrants, though. German citizens who work abroad for a domestic employer or in the public sector can still be classed as unlimitedly tax liable. The same applies to cross-border commuters who live abroad but earn their main income in Germany and, on application, are treated as unlimitedly tax liable. Once unlimited tax liability no longer applies, you can no longer receive new subsidies^[1]. How the move affects the subsidy you have already received depends largely on whether your new destination country is inside or outside the European Union.

To avoid unexpected tax drawbacks or even an obligation to repay, check the details of your move early. Because every emigration has its own tax nuances, tailored advice is strongly recommended. Through our independent advice service you can easily get in touch with licensed experts who will analyse your personal situation and guide you safely through the regulatory maze.

Moving to an EU or EEA member country: keeping the subsidy

There's good news for mobile workers and emigrants moving within Europe: relocating to a member country of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) is usually the best-case scenario for your Altersvorsorgedepot. Under freedom of movement for EU citizens and the case law of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), residences within Europe are largely treated equally under subsidy law^[1]. That means the state subsidy you have already received does not have to be repaid on a straightforward change of residence within this area, since it is not treated as a detrimental use of the account.

Requirements and contributions when living in another EU country

Whether you keep receiving active support and new allowances in your new country of residence depends mainly on your tax situation and employment status. Anyone who remains unlimitedly tax liable in Germany (as a cross-border commuter, for example) can keep saving into the account as before and continue to benefit from the state contributions. If unlimited tax liability in Germany ends, active support generally lies dormant, but the capital you have saved keeps growing tax-free inside the account. For a precise calculation of the long-term effects, use the subsidy calculator to simulate different scenarios.

• Equal treatment: residences in the EU and the EEA (such as Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway) are legally protected for keeping the subsidy you have already received.
• No obligation to repay: unlike a move to a non-EU country, this relocation does not trigger an immediate reclaim of the state allowances you have saved.
• Contract continues: the Altersvorsorgedepot keeps running unchanged with your provider even from another EU country, and you can manage the balance within the investment guidelines.
• Future contributions: you can keep paying in, but without German pension-insurance or tax liability, this usually no longer earns you new allowances.

Because the exact tax details in each destination country can be highly complex, particularly around double taxation agreements (DTAs) and how the payout phase is taxed, clarify these questions early. A thorough look at our knowledge section gives you initial orientation, but it does not replace personal professional advice for individual borderline tax cases.

Moving to a non-EU country: consequences for your retirement provision

If you move your residence permanently to a country outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), this has far-reaching consequences for your state-subsidised Altersvorsorgedepot. What matters most for keeping the state allowances is whether you remain unlimitedly tax liable in Germany. Once that liability ends with the permanent move, the law generally treats this step as what's called a detrimental use of the account^[3]. That means the legal basis for continuing to receive state benefits lapses, because the subsidised capital is reserved by law for taxpayers resident in Germany.

Repayment obligation and retroactive tax adjustment

Once the move is officially classed as a detrimental use of the account, an immediate financial repayment obligation follows. By law, you as the saver must repay all the state allowances that flowed into the account over the years to the responsible authority^[4]. On top of that, the tax office retroactively reassesses your tax position. Every tax benefit you claimed through the annual special-expenses deduction (Sonderausgabenabzug) is reclaimed. The contract itself, however, is unaffected and continues to run with your provider as an unsubsidised private savings plan. The balance you have already saved therefore stays your property and keeps working in the capital markets, just without any further state contribution.

To avoid an immediate, existence-threatening cash burden right after the move, the law provides an option under strict conditions: you can apply to the relevant authority for the repayment amount to be deferred, interest-free or interest-bearing, until you reach the later payout phase^[5]. Because these tax-law entanglements are extremely complex and have significant long-term effects on your retirement assets, we strongly advise against acting rashly. Use our knowledge section to prepare with detailed guides, or get personal support from qualified experts through our independent advice service to make a tax-optimised decision about your emigration.

Repayment versus leaving it dormant: your options when moving to a non-EU country

If you move your residence permanently to a non-EU, non-EEA country — the United States or Switzerland, for example — your unlimited income tax liability in Germany generally ends. In this scenario, the state generally reclaims the allowances and tax benefits granted, because the requirements for the state subsidy no longer apply. Two main paths are open to you for handling the Altersvorsorgedepot in this situation: suspending contributions with the repayment debt deferred, or immediate repayment by closing the account.

In practice, suspending contributions often turns out to be the more advantageous option. With the deferral, the full capital, including the state subsidy portion, stays in the Altersvorsorgedepot and can keep benefiting from market returns over the years. Immediate repayment, by contrast, drains liquidity from the account and significantly reduces the compounding effect. Through the knowledge section, Vorsorgedepot-Lotse provides neutral guidance for savers emigrating abroad^[1]. It is also advisable to get personal advice before you move, to pin down the tax consequences in your specific destination country precisely. Note: these explanations do not constitute tax or legal advice.

How the payout phase is taxed abroad

If you live permanently abroad in retirement, the later payout phase of your Altersvorsorgedepot is generally subject to deferred taxation (nachgelagerte Besteuerung) in Germany. Because contributions were tax-exempt or subsidised during the accumulation phase, the German tax authorities want to tax the payouts in retirement. Whether and to what extent Germany can actually exercise this right to tax depends largely on which country you emigrate to and what the relevant double taxation agreement (DTA) provides^[1].

Double taxation agreements and tax allocation

The DTA between Germany and your new country of residence sets out which country may tax the pension payments. Under many agreements, the right to tax private pensions or account-based payouts is assigned to the new country of residence. There are exceptions, however, where Germany retains a right to tax as the source state, particularly when the contributions were state-subsidised^[6]. To avoid unpleasant surprises at payout, check the tax allocation for your specific destination country early. You'll find detailed guides on special tax cases in our Vorsorgewissen.

Please note that the tax treatment of pensions received abroad is highly complex and varies considerably case by case. This overview is for general information only. Not investment advice within the meaning of § 1 Abs. 1a Nr. 1a KWG.

Altersvorsorgedepot versus an unsubsidised ETF savings plan if you're planning to move abroad

Anyone planning to emigrate or work abroad temporarily faces the question of whether a state-subsidised Altersvorsorgedepot or an unsubsidised ETF savings plan is more advantageous. A standard ETF savings plan with a regular neobroker offers maximum flexibility: you can keep it running without any trouble when you move, leave it abroad, or transfer it there, with no subsidies to repay. With the new Altersvorsorgedepot, how attractive the subsidy remains depends heavily on your future residence, since a permanent move out of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) can trigger significant tax consequences.

Strategic trade-offs and tax implications

Mobile workers should run the numbers carefully. If you move within the EU or the EEA, the state subsidy is generally unaffected, so the Altersvorsorgedepot can play out its tax advantages over a purely private ETF savings plan in full^[3]. Changing providers or making later adjustments, though, can be more complex than with a normal account, depending on the foreign tax law involved. With the subsidy calculator you can work through and compare different scenarios mathematically. You'll find further detail in the knowledge section. Please note: these model calculations are for illustration only and do not constitute investment advice within the meaning of Section 1 paragraph 1a number 1a KWG. Before making a final move, seek professional advice.

Step-by-step guide before you move: how to protect your assets

Moving your residence abroad requires structured planning for your subsidised private retirement provision, to avoid unexpected repayment demands. Whether you keep your state allowances or have to repay them depends largely on whether you move to a country in the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), or emigrate to a non-EU country. Because statutory deadlines apply, savers should prepare the move proactively and act in good time.

1. Step 1: Meet the statutory notification duty. You are legally required to notify your account provider of the change of residence without delay. This matters particularly because future allowances lapse if you move outside the EU.
2. Step 2: Build your information base. Use the guide to the Altersvorsorgedepot to check the tax consequences for your destination country precisely. Our knowledge section gives you source-based facts on unlimited tax liability and the continuation of your contract.
3. Step 3: Bring in professional advice. Because special tax cases such as cross-border commuting or a later return to Germany change your subsidy situation, an individual review is essential. Through the independent advice service, you can easily arrange a conversation with a qualified financial expert.

If you take up permanent residence outside the EU or the EEA and your unlimited tax liability in Germany ends, you are generally obliged to repay the state subsidies received up to that point^[3]. In that case, you can apply to the Central Allowance Office for Retirement Assets (Zentrale Zulagenstelle für Altersvermögen, ZfA) to have the repayment amount deferred, spreading the financial burden until you reach retirement. If you stay within the EU or the EEA, by contrast, the state subsidy remains unaffected under the case law of the European Court of Justice and is not reclaimed. The account contract itself continues to run in both cases, which calls for a strategic decision on whether to leave it dormant or keep it going without state allowances. Careful preparation gives the best protection for the retirement assets you have worked hard to build.