The Einstiegsbonus for career starters in the AVD explained

Tilman Freyenhagen

Published on 15 June 2026 · Updated on 7 August 2026 · Managing Director & Partner, Alsterspree Verlag GmbH

What is the Einstiegsbonus in the Altersvorsorgedepot?

The Einstiegsbonus in the Altersvorsorgedepot is a one-off additional state subsidy of 200 euros for young savers who open a subsidised account before turning 25^[1]. This career-starter bonus is designed to make it easier for young people to start building private retirement provision early and to make getting started more financially attractive.

Who receives the additional state subsidy?

To receive the 200 euros as an Einstiegsbonus, savers must be directly eligible for the state allowance in the year they open the Altersvorsorgedepot, and must not yet have turned 25^[1]. Paying in an annual minimum contribution is also a basic requirement for claiming the full state support. The bonus is only granted once, and serves as extra seed funding for your personal ETF portfolio or other subsidy-eligible account investments.

The criteria at a glance

• Bonus amount: A one-off state allowance of 200 euros, on top of the regular basic subsidy.
• Age limit: The account must be opened and contributions must begin before your 25th birthday.
• Requirement: Direct eligibility for the state allowance (for example through social-insurance-liable income as a trainee or career starter) and payment of the minimum own contribution.
• Payment: The credit is paid directly into the state-subsidised Altersvorsorgedepot and invested there for returns.

Especially in your younger years, this starting balance builds up enormous leverage over a term of many years. Thanks to the compound-interest effect, this initial 200 euros grows considerably over a period of around 40 years until retirement, even without any further payments in. If you want to simulate the exact leverage effect and your personal total subsidy precisely, it is worth taking a look at our subsidy calculator. For more in-depth articles on the tax rules and calculations, our knowledge section offers neutral, source-based guidance. This does not constitute investment advice within the meaning of § 1 Abs. 1a Nr. 1a KWG.

The bonus amount in detail: a one-off 200 euros, or an annual subsidy?

On the question of exactly how much the career-starter bonus for the new Altersvorsorgedepot amounts to, the clear answer is: it is a one-off state payment of 200 euros for young savers under 25. Both in the classic Riester system and in the new Altersvorsorgedepot, this career-starter bonus is granted once, at the start of the contract, and is not repeated annually. What matters is only that you have not yet turned 25 when the contract begins, and that you pay the annual minimum own contribution, in order to receive the full state subsidy including the one-off bonus.^[3]

The overview below illustrates the difference between the classic Riester rules and the expanded subsidy guidelines in the enacted Altersvorsorgereformgesetz:

This one-off starter bonus is meant to create a strong incentive to take charge of your own private retirement provision early on^[4]. For young adults under 25, this legislative shift means that, thanks to the compound-interest effect, they can build up substantial additional final capital over a long term, often more than 40 years. To make this dynamic tangible for your personal planning, our subsidy calculator offers a precise mathematical simulation with which you can calculate the long-term leverage of the allowances. In addition, you will find detailed background information in our knowledge section.

Important note: the calculations and comparisons shown here are for information purposes only and do not constitute investment advice within the meaning of the Kreditwesengesetz (the German Banking Act) (not investment advice within the meaning of § 1 Abs. 1a Nr. 1a KWG).

Requirements for receiving it: who is eligible?

To receive the one-off career-starter bonus of 200 euros with the new Altersvorsorgedepot, you must meet certain statutory criteria^[1]. The most important limit relates to your age: you must open the Altersvorsorgedepot before your 25th birthday^[1]. Receiving it also requires that you are directly eligible for the state allowance in the relevant contribution year^[5]. This means you must be in employment liable for statutory pension insurance contributions, or belong to an equivalent group, in order to unlock the state subsidy in full.

These groups of people can secure the bonus

• Trainees in state-recognised apprenticeships with their own social-insurance-liable income.
• Career starters after university or school who take up their first regular social-insurance-liable job.
• Young employees under 25 who are compulsorily insured under statutory pension insurance.
• People doing the Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD, federal volunteer service) or the Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (FSJ, voluntary social year), provided pension insurance is compulsory for them.

The bonus is paid directly into your Altersvorsorgedepot via the state allowance office^[6]. It is important to know that, as a saver, you must pay the so-called minimum own contribution in order to receive the subsidy in full. If you are unsure whether your current employment status meets all the criteria for allowance eligibility, our knowledge section can help with detailed guides. Alternatively, you can use our independent advice service to get personal advice from an expert to determine your individual subsidy rate precisely. This does not constitute investment advice within the meaning of § 1 Abs. 1a Nr. 1a KWG.

This early start is invaluable, especially for career starters. The one-off state contribution of 200 euros flows directly into your chosen ETF or fund investment and starts earning returns from day one^[6]. Over a typical working life of 40 years, this seemingly small amount builds up considerable leverage thanks to the compound-interest effect. In this way, the special payment grows into a noticeable building block of your private retirement provision without any further action on your part. With our subsidy calculator you can easily calculate this leverage and your expected total subsidy for different scenarios.

Allowances and subsidy: how the bonus combines with the Grundzulage

Combining the regular Grundzulage with the one-off career-starter bonus gives young savers a highly effective, strongly supported start to the new Altersvorsorgedepot. Anyone who takes out an Altersvorsorgedepot contract before their 25th birthday receives a one-off bonus of 200 euros from the state, on top of the annual Grundzulage of up to 540 euros^[1]. As a result, in the best case up to 740 euros in pure state allowances flow directly into your account in the first year of saving, which massively boosts your initial investment capital and lays the foundation for long-term portfolio growth. This double subsidy is processed directly by the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (Federal Central Tax Office) via your account provider and credited to your retirement assets, without you having to file a laborious tax application. Our source-based subsidy calculator is available for an exact calculation of your personal subsidy rate.

This worked example shows how much state support boosts your own savings effort in the Altersvorsorgedepot. Especially at the lower savings rates typical during studies, vocational training or the start of working life, the percentage subsidy rate from combining both types of allowance is exceptionally high. For example, if you pay in the statutory minimum own contribution of 120 euros per year, you receive a state Grundzulage of 60 euros plus the one-off career-starter bonus of 200 euros. That produces a total subsidy of 260 euros in the first year, corresponding to a subsidy rate of more than 216 percent of your own payment. Our knowledge section offers in-depth, source-based analysis and neutral guides on this. Please note: the figures given are for the transparent illustration of the statutorily anchored subsidy system only and do not constitute an individual return guarantee or financial plan (not investment advice within the meaning of § 1 Abs. 1a Nr. 1a KWG).

The compound-interest calculation: how 600 euros becomes a fortune over 40 years

To illustrate the long-term leverage of the state subsidy for young savers, it is worth looking at the mathematical compound-interest calculation in our Altersvorsorgedepot guides. Let us assume you start your subsidised retirement provision as a career starter under 25. Alongside your one-off career-starter bonus of 200 euros come your own contributions and the regular state Grundzulage, so that you begin with a total starting capital of 600 euros in your Altersvorsorgedepot. You let this capital work for you on the capital markets over a typical working horizon of 40 years. At an assumed average return of 6 percent per year, time unfolds enormous mathematical power. Important to know: this example calculation is for illustrating the mathematical effects only. It does not constitute investment advice within the meaning of § 1 Abs. 1a Nr. 1a KWG.

The table shows impressively how the initial capital of 600 euros more than tenfolds through the compound-interest effect alone, without any further payments in. In the first few years, the balance appears to grow slowly, but growth accelerates dramatically in the final two decades. This illustrates why starting private retirement provision as early as possible is so crucial^[1]. If you want to work out your personal subsidy scenarios and future savings rates in more detail, you can use the digital subsidy calculator to determine your individual subsidy and potential final capital transparently.

Two paths to getting started: decide for yourself or get independent advice

Receiving the one-off state career-starter bonus of 200 euros is tied to opening the Altersvorsorgedepot in time, before your 25th birthday^[1]. To make the most of this state contribution, two equally valid paths are open to you, depending on your existing knowledge and personal preferences. We at Vorsorgedepot-Lotse treat both approaches with complete neutrality, since both options are respectable choices for your retirement provision.

For digitally savvy savers who want to take charge of their financial provision themselves, the classic ETF savings scenario is a good fit. Our knowledge section gives you access to all the essential information on subsidies and investment strategies. In addition, our provider comparison helps you compare providers' terms yourself and open a suitable account. Beforehand, you can use the subsidy calculator to calculate your individual state subsidy and long-term performance precisely.

If, on the other hand, you want personal guidance or need to clarify more complex tax situations in detail, structured advice is the right choice. Through our independent advice service, we put you in touch with licensed, independent financial advisers. These experts guide you step by step through the new Altersvorsorgedepot and support you competently in your decision-making. This ensures that you make optimal use of all subsidies, including the career-starter bonus, and tailor your portfolio to your personal life situation.

Whichever path you choose, the fundamental mathematical rule applies: the earlier you start saving, the more you benefit from the compound-interest effect over a long investment horizon of, say, 40 years. This does not constitute investment advice within the meaning of § 1 Abs. 1a Nr. 1a KWG. Both paths reliably lead you to your goal of making optimal use of the state subsidy for your wealth building.

Comparing ages: why waiting is expensive with the Altersvorsorgedepot

Anyone who delays starting subsidised retirement provision pays a high price later in life. The new Altersvorsorgedepot deliberately rewards an early start to saving with financial incentives. Anyone who starts saving before turning 25 secures the one-off career-starter bonus of 200 euros on top of the regular subsidy^[7]. But that is only the beginning: the real leverage lies in the unused saving years. The compound-interest effect means that every euro invested in your twenties grows disproportionately over the decades-long term. Anyone who does not start until age 30 or 35 not only loses this state bonus, but also has to pay significantly higher monthly instalments later in life to close the same pension gap.

(Note: illustrative model calculation with a monthly savings rate of 100 euros and an assumed annual performance of 6%. This does not constitute investment advice within the meaning of § 1 Abs. 1a Nr. 1a KWG. Actual returns depend on market performance.)

The figures illustrate the irrecoverable leverage of time. A delay of just ten years - from age 20 to age 30 - very nearly halves the potential final capital, even though the sum of your own contributions falls by only around 12,000 euros. The forfeited bonus of 200 euros for under-25s^[2] acts as an additional catalyst here, since it participates fully in the compound-interest effect right from the start. Anyone who lets this subsidy go unused forgoes state-gifted starting capital that would have multiplied many times over the decades.

With our neutral subsidy calculator, you can work through and compare various starting scenarios individually. In the Altersvorsorgedepot guides section, our portal offers more in-depth analysis of how the new allowance structure works from 2027. If you would like support with long-term planning, we are happy to refer you to one of our knowledgeable partners for unbiased advice.

Conclusion and preparation: how to secure your state bonus

In summary, the Einstiegsbonus in the Altersvorsorgedepot is a one-off additional state subsidy of 200 euros for young savers who take out an Altersvorsorgedepot contract before their 25th birthday^[8]. This special subsidy is designed to make it easier for career starters to begin long-term private retirement provision and to strengthen the compound-interest effect from the outset^[1]. Anyone who keeps within this statutory age limit benefits from a straightforward boost to their own savings account at the start of their career.

The financial-mathematical leverage over a term of, say, 40 years is considerable. A bonus of 200 euros invested once, flowing into an ETF-based Altersvorsorgedepot at career entry aged 20 and achieving an average annual return of 6 percent there, grows on its own to over 2,050 euros by the time you retire. This example calculation shows that, especially at a young age, every euro invested unfolds far greater power thanks to the long investment horizon. (Important note: this is a model, illustrative calculation to demonstrate the compound-interest effect; it does not constitute investment advice within the meaning of § 1 Abs. 1a Nr. 1a KWG.)

Step by step to the Altersvorsorgedepot

1. Check your status: In good time before your 25th birthday, find out whether you meet the requirements for receiving the state bonus of 200 euros.
2. Calculate your subsidy: Use our subsidy calculator to project your individual state support and your future return potential in detail.
3. Deepen your knowledge: Find out about all the statutory rules, fee structures and combination options in our knowledge section.
4. Choose your decision path: Decide for yourself via a broker, or use our independent advice service for personal guidance and have a tailored plan drawn up by licensed experts.

We at Vorsorgedepot-Lotse accompany you on this path with transparency and reliable data. Whether you take charge of your retirement provision yourself or look for support, starting in good time lays the foundation for financial flexibility in old age.