Economics sound the alarm: maternal pensions threaten our finances!

Economics sound the alarm: maternal pensions threaten our finances!

The reform of the mother's pension continues to be at the center of controversial discussions. According to economists, financing the expanded regulation is considered problematic. This warning was recently raised with the publication of the spring report on May 21, 2025. A main focus is on the new financial package from the coalition of CDU, CSU and SPD, which, among other things, deals with mothers' pensions. Mercury reports that Ulrike Malmendier, member of the Council of Experts, emphasizes that these investments must be additional and should not replace regular budget expenditure.

The calculations show that the mother's pension, which provides for the full crediting of child-rearing periods for mothers who had children before 1992, is not covered by contributions. Instead, it is financed by significant tax subsidies. Economists expect additional costs of around 4.9 billion euros per year. The German Pension Insurance (DRV) estimates the costs of the expansion at around five billion euros annually. describes time that there are no clear financial resources stated in the new government's exploratory paper.

Criticism of the financing

DRV President Gundula Roßbach expressed concerns about the feasibility of the plans in the Tagesspiegel. It is pointed out that either the mother's pension must be financed entirely from tax revenue or the contribution rate could increase by 0.25 percentage points. Forecasts suggest that the contribution rate could rise to over 19 percent by 2027. One pension point currently corresponds to 39.32 euros, and on average, mother's pensions increase the monthly income of the women concerned by 107 euros.

Around 9.8 million women currently benefit from maternity pensions, with almost 87 percent of women over 65 receiving maternity pensions. However, it is also reported that women who gave birth before 1992 are at a disadvantage compared to those who had children after. The latter receive up to three years of parenting time, while the regulation for older mothers covers a maximum of two years and six months.

Proposals for financing the expansion

• Einführung einer Aktivrente, die Babyboomer zur späteren Rente motiviert.
• Steuerfreies Einkommen von bis zu 2.000 Euro pro Monat für längeres Arbeiten.
• Schätzung: 300.000 zusätzliche Erwerbstätige, BIP-Wachstum von 18,2 Milliarden Euro.
• Überprüfung der Regelung zur Rente mit 63 (abschlagsfrei nach 45 Beitragsjahren).
• Kosten der vorgezogenen Rente bis 2035: 140 Milliarden Euro.
• Rentenaufschubprämie von 22.000 Euro für Boomer, die den Rentebeginn verschieben.
• Schätzung: Eine Million Menschen könnten profitieren, zusätzliches Steueraufkommen von 7,1 Milliarden Euro.
• Flexi-Rente als möglicher Beitrag zur Finanzierung.
• Generationenkapital zur Stabilisierung der Beiträge und Refinanzierung versicherungsfremder Leistungen.
• Diskussion über Versicherungspflicht für Selbstständige, die nicht abgesichert sind.
• Schätzung: 20 Milliarden Euro zusätzliche Einnahmen durch Versicherungspflicht für 2,5 Millionen Selbstständige.

In summary, it is clear that the maternal pension is not only a social justice issue, but also involves profound financial considerations. The upcoming decisions will be crucial for how Germany's future pension policy will be shaped.