Widow's Pension Calculator Germany
Calculate a German widow's or widower's pension, large (55%) or small (25%), after deducting 40% of own income above the 2026 allowance, raised per child.
Details
Enter gross income – the calculator deducts the statutory flat rate (§ 18b(5) SGB IV).
Widow Pension per Month
€959.01
Large Widow pension (55%)
Total Income
€2,959.01
Own gross income + Widow pension
Widow Pension per Year
€11,508.14
Income Credit
Note: The large widow pension (55%) is paid if the survivor is raising a child under 18, has reduced earning capacity or has reached the age limit – for deaths in 2026 this is 46 years and 6 months (rising to 47 by 2029). The small widow pension (25%) is limited to 24 months. For the three months after the month of death (Sterbevierteljahr) the deceased's full pension is paid without any income offset; the calculator shows the amount after that. Income allowance 2026 (nationwide): €1,122.53 + €238.11 per child. The offset is based on flat-rate net income: employment income minus 40%, own pension minus 14% (pension started before 2011: 13%); other income types have their own rates (e.g. civil servants' pay 27.5%). 40% of the amount above the allowance is offset. As of: 2026.
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 is the widow's/widower's pension?
The small widow's pension is 25% of the deceased's pension for 24 months. The large widow's pension is 55% (or 60% under old law) if the survivor has reached the age limit (46 years and 6 months for deaths in 2026, rising to 47 by 2029), has reduced earning capacity or is raising a child under 18.
Does my own income affect the widow's pension?
Yes. What counts is a flat-rate net income: fixed rates are deducted from gross – 40% for employment income, 14% for your own statutory pension (13% if it started before 2011). If this amount exceeds the income allowance of 1,122.53 euros (from July 2026, nationwide), 40% of the excess is offset – for every euro above the threshold, the pension falls by 40 cents. The allowance rises by 238.11 euros for each child entitled to an orphan's pension. So enter your gross income in the calculator – it deducts the flat rate itself.
How much is the widow's pension in the first three months?
In the so-called 'Sterbevierteljahr' – the three calendar months after the month of death – survivors receive the deceased's full pension, and their own income is not taken into account. Only from the fourth month do the rates of 55% (large) or 25% (small widow's pension) apply, with income offset – this is the amount the calculator shows. Example: with a deceased's pension of 1,800 euros, 1,800 euros are paid for the first three months; after that the large widow's pension is 990 euros, or 959.01 euros after the offset with 2,000 euros of gross earnings (1,200 euros flat-rate net).
Guide
What is the Widow's Pension Calculator Germany?
The widow's/widower's pension calculator computes the amount of survivor's pension for spouses and registered partners.
How does the Widow's Pension Calculator Germany work?
Enter the deceased's pension and your own gross income and choose the income type. The calculator deducts the statutory flat rate (employment income 40%, own pension 14%) to get the flat-rate net income. Small widow's pension: 25% for 24 months. Large widow's pension: 55% (old law: 60%). Flat-rate net income above the allowance is offset at 40%.
Key Data and Facts
Large widow's pension (new law): 55% of the insured person's pension, from age 46 years and 6 months (deaths in 2026), when raising a child under 18 or with reduced earning capacity. Income allowance: 1,122.53 euros of flat-rate net income (2026, nationwide). Requirements: marriage at least 1 year and deceased had 5 years' qualifying period.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to calculate the widow's pension step by step: 1. Determine the type of widow's pension: small widow's pension: 25 % of the insured pension for 24 months. Requirement: not raising a child under 18, no reduced earning capacity and the age limit not yet reached (deaths in 2026: 46 years and 6 months). Large widow's pension: 55 % of the insured pension (new law, marriage from 2002) or 60 % (old law). Requirement: age limit reached (deaths in 2026: 46 years and 6 months, rising to 47 by 2029), or raising a child under 18, or reduced earning capacity. 2. Determine the insured pension: the pension that the deceased received or would have received. In the quarter following the death (first 3 months) the deceased's full pension is paid. 3. Offset your own income: what counts is a flat-rate net income – fixed rates are deducted from gross (employment income 40 %, own statutory pension 14 %, 13 % if it started before 2011). The allowance is deducted from this (1,122.53 EUR, 2026, + 238.11 EUR per child entitled to an orphan's pension). 40 % of the amount exceeding this is offset against the widow's pension. 4. Child supplement: when raising children, the large widow's pension is increased by a supplement per child. Example: the deceased had a pension entitlement of 1,600 EUR. The widow is 52 years old, with her own gross earnings of 2,500 EUR, i.e. a flat-rate net income of 2,500 - 40 % = 1,500 EUR. Large widow's pension (55 %): 1,600 x 55 % = 880 EUR. Income offsetting: 1,500 - 1,122.53 = 377.47 EUR. 40 % of this: 150.99 EUR reduction. Widow's pension after offsetting: 880 - 150.99 = 729.01 EUR per month. In the quarter following the death: the full 1,600 EUR per month.
Calculation Example
Deceased spouse: 1,600 EUR pension. Widow, 52 years old, gross 2,500 EUR (flat-rate net 1,500 EUR). Large widow's pension (55%): 880 EUR. Income offset: (1,500 - 1,122.53) x 40% = 150.99 EUR. Payout: 729.01 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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