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How much savings can you keep if you need care in Germany?

In short

If you need care in Germany and the social welfare office (Sozialamt) helps with care home costs, you can keep EUR 10,000 in savings per person, usually EUR 20,000 for a married couple. This is called Schonvermögen. Anything above it goes first into the average own share of EUR 3,364 a month. A suitable home you or your partner live in, household goods and Riester pensions are also protected.

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How much savings can you keep if you need care in Germany?

What it costs

Key amounts for protected assets in Germany, 2026.

Example	Typical range
Protected savings, single person	EUR 10,000
Protected savings, married couple	usually EUR 20,000
Pocket money in a care home	at least EUR 152.01 a month
Own share in a care home, first year, national average	EUR 3,364 a month
Income limit for children to contribute	more than EUR 100,000 gross a year per child

Amounts from the sources listed.

Pension and savings in the worked example are assumptions.

The local Sozialamt decides each case.

Worked example

Married couple, he moves into a care home, she stays in their own house

How much of their savings goes into the care home bill before the Sozialamt steps in.

Couple's savings (assumption)	EUR 48,000
Protected for both	EUR 20,000
Savings to be used	EUR 28,000
Monthly gap with a EUR 1,400 pension (assumption)	EUR 1,964
House the wife still lives in	stays protected

The EUR 28,000 last just over 14 months. After that the Sozialamt pays, and the wife keeps the house and EUR 20,000.

When protected assets matter

Statutory long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) only covers part of the cost. In a care home you pay the rest, in the first year on average EUR 3,364 a month, from your pension and savings. If that is not enough, the Sozialamt pays a benefit called Hilfe zur Pflege.

Before it pays, you must use your own assets. What you are allowed to keep is called Schonvermögen. For married couples, the assets of both partners count together.

Asset	Protected?
Cash, bank accounts and savings up to EUR 10,000 per person	yes
Savings above that amount	no, used first
Suitable home that you or your partner live in	yes
Home that stands empty after you move into care	no
Riester pension contract	yes, as state subsidised retirement savings
Reasonable household goods and car	yes
Funeral plan with a fixed purpose	usually yes, if reasonable
Life insurance with a surrender value	no, counts as an asset

What happens above the limit

If your savings exceed EUR 10,000, you pay the care home bill yourself until you are down to that amount. Only then does the Sozialamt step in.

A house nobody from your household lives in any more also counts as an asset. Instead of forcing a quick sale, the office can grant the help as a loan secured by a land charge (Grundschuld).

What you keep in the home

With Hilfe zur Pflege you keep at least EUR 152.01 a month in 2026 for personal spending such as a hairdresser or phone, plus an allowance for clothing that varies by region.

The rest of your pension goes to the home. If your partner still lives at home, enough must be left for them; the Sozialamt works this out case by case.

Children and gifts

Adult children only contribute to their parents' care home costs if a child earns more than EUR 100,000 gross a year. Each child is assessed separately, and below that limit neither their savings nor a spouse's income count.

Gifts made in the last ten years can be reclaimed under § 528 BGB if you can no longer support yourself, and the Sozialamt takes over that claim. Usual birthday or Christmas presents are exempt.

When extra care insurance helps and when it does not

Private top up care insurance (Pflegezusatzversicherung) makes sense if you own much more than the protected amount and want to keep it for your partner or children. It closes the monthly gap so your savings do not run out within a few years.

It does little if your assets are below the limit anyway. Then the Sozialamt pays in the end, and part of the insurance payout would only replace welfare.

Step by step

List all assets: accounts, investments, life insurance, property.
Subtract what is protected: EUR 10,000 per person, the home you live in, Riester, household goods.
Work out the gap between your pension and the own share in a care home.
Calculate how many months your remaining savings cover that gap.
Collect records of gifts from the last ten years, the office will ask.
Decide whether top up care insurance should protect assets above the limit.

Checklist

Protected amount of EUR 10,000 per person known
Home of suitable size and lived in by you or your partner
Funeral plan set up with a fixed purpose
Life insurance surrender values included
Gifts from the last ten years documented
Lasting power of attorney (Vorsorgevollmacht) for accounts and applications

Common mistakes

Assuming all your savings are protected
Giving money to your children shortly before applying
Forgetting that a married couple's assets are counted together
Applying to the Sozialamt too late, as it does not pay for months before it knew

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

How much savings can I keep in a German care home?

EUR 10,000 per adult. For a married couple, usually EUR 20,000 together.

Is my house protected?

Yes, if it is of a suitable size and you or your partner live in it. If it stands empty after you move into care, it is no longer protected.

Does my car count?

A reasonable car is protected. There is no fixed limit, the office decides case by case.

Does my Riester pension count?

No, state subsidised retirement savings are protected. Private life insurance with a surrender value does count.

Do my children have to pay for the care home?

Only if a child earns more than EUR 100,000 gross a year. Below that, their savings do not matter either.

How much money do I keep in the home?

With Hilfe zur Pflege at least EUR 152.01 a month, usually plus a clothing allowance.

When should I apply to the Sozialamt?

As soon as it is clear your money will run down to the protected amount. The office only pays from the month it is told.

Sources

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