Unemployment Benefit Calculator Germany
Calculate German unemployment benefit (ALG I) for 2026 from gross pay, tax class, children and age: daily and monthly amount, benefit duration and total claim.
Income details
Monthly ALG I
€1,246.80
Benefit Rate: 60% (without children)
Benefit-relevant net pay per day
€69.27
flat-rate net pay (§ 153 SGB III)
Daily Rate
€41.56
Benefit Duration
12 months
under 50: 12 months
Total ALG I entitlement
€14,961.60
12 months x €1,246.80
Calculation per calendar day
Calculated under §§ 149–154 SGB III the way the Federal Employment Agency does it: the daily assessment pay is monthly gross (capped at the contribution ceiling of 8,450 €) × 12 / 365. From it come a 20 % social security lump sum, wage tax under the 2026 program flow chart and the solidarity surcharge – without church tax, child allowances or the factor method. A full month counts as 30 days. The benefit duration is the maximum for your age and requires enough months of insurance (12 months of benefit, for example, only after 24 months of compulsory insurance). Only the official notice is binding.
Note: These calculations are for informational purposes only and do not replace professional tax or financial advice. All information without guarantee.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much unemployment benefit (ALG I) will I receive?
ALG I is 60% of a standardised net pay (Leistungsentgelt), 67% with children. It is based on contributory gross pay over the last 12 months up to the contribution ceiling, converted to a calendar day; a full month is paid as 30 days. At 3,000 euros gross in tax class I that is 41.56 euros a day, i.e. 1,246.80 euros a month, or 1,392.30 euros with a child.
How long can I receive unemployment benefit?
The duration depends on your age and contribution period. Under 50: maximum 12 months. At 50+: up to 15 months. At 55+: up to 18 months. At 58+: up to 24 months.
Why does my tax class affect the amount of unemployment benefit?
The employment agency does not use your actual net pay but a standardised benefit-relevant pay (Leistungsentgelt): a flat 20% social insurance deduction (§ 153 SGB III), the wage tax for your tax class and the solidarity surcharge are subtracted from daily gross pay, and you receive 60% of the result (67% with a child). At 3,000 euros gross (98.63 euros a day, of which 19.73 euros is the social insurance lump sum) the benefit-relevant pay is 77.81 euros a day in tax class III, 69.27 euros in class I and 58.24 euros in class V – without a child that means 1,400.70, 1,246.80 and 1,048.20 euros of benefit a month. What counts is the tax class at the start of the year in which the claim arises; if spouses switch tax classes shortly before, the new combination is only accepted if it matches the ratio of their two salaries or lowers the benefit.
Guide
What is the Unemployment Benefit Calculator Germany?
The unemployment benefit calculator computes ALG I the way the Federal Employment Agency does and shows the maximum benefit duration for your age.
How does the Unemployment Benefit Calculator Germany work?
Enter your average monthly gross pay over the last 12 months, your tax class at the start of the year, whether a child counts and your age. The calculator works out the daily assessment pay (gross × 12 / 365, capped at the contribution ceiling), deducts the flat amounts under § 153 SGB III – 20 % social security, wage tax under the 2026 program flow chart and solidarity surcharge – and pays 60 % or 67 % of the rest per calendar day; a full month counts as 30 days.
Key Data and Facts
ALG I rate: 60% of standardised net pay (67% with children). Duration: 6-24 months depending on age and insurance period. Requirement: 12 months of insured employment in 30 months. Contribution ceiling 2026: 8,450 euros/month.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to calculate unemployment benefit I (Arbeitslosengeld I) step by step: 1. Determine the assessment pay (Bemessungsentgelt): contributory gross pay over the last 12 months (assessment period), capped at the contribution ceiling (EUR 101,400/year = EUR 8,450/month in 2026), divided by 365 days – with a constant salary, monthly gross × 12 / 365. Payments made because the employment ended, such as a severance payment, do not count. 2. Calculate the benefit pay (Leistungsentgelt): from the daily assessment pay, a 20 % social security lump sum, wage tax under the 2026 program flow chart (tax class at the start of the year) and the solidarity surcharge are deducted. Church tax and child allowances are ignored (§ 153 SGB III). 3. ALG I daily rate: 60 % of the benefit pay, 67 % with a child. 4. Monthly amount: daily rate x 30 days. 5. Determine the benefit duration: 12 months of compulsory insurance = 6 months of ALG I, 24 months = 12 months of ALG I. From age 50: up to 15 months (with 30 months of insurance), from 55: up to 18 months (36), from 58: up to 24 months (48). Example: employee, 35 years old, employed for 3 years, gross EUR 3,500/month, tax class I, no child. Assessment pay: 3,500 × 12 / 365 = EUR 115.07/day. Deductions: social security lump sum EUR 23.01, wage tax EUR 13.34, Soli EUR 0. Benefit pay: EUR 78.72/day. ALG I (60 %): EUR 47.23/day = EUR 1,416.90/month. Benefit duration: 12 months (with 36 months of compulsory insurance). With a child (67 %): EUR 52.74/day = EUR 1,582.20/month.
Calculation Example
Gross 3,500 EUR/month, tax class I, no children, employed for 3 years. Assessment pay: 3,500 × 12 / 365 = 115.07 EUR/day. Minus the 20% social security lump sum (23.01 EUR) and wage tax (13.34 EUR): benefit-relevant pay 78.72 EUR/day. ALG I (60%): 47.23 EUR/day = 1,416.90 EUR/month for 12 months. With a child (67%): 52.74 EUR/day = 1,582.20 EUR/month.
Sources
Official sources
Calculations are based on applicable German laws and official data:
- Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS)
- Deutsche Rentenversicherung
- Sozialgesetzbuch (SGB) — gesetze-im-internet.de
Full methodology at Methodology.
Reviewed by Konstantin Iakovlev · Last updated:
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