Part of the topic: 👶 Family & children
Frühstartrente calculator: state €10 vs ETF depot
Enter your child's age, an expected return and what you would add yourself. The calculator shows the state's Frühstartrente money at 65 and compares your own contributions in the Frühstartrente with an ETF depot – after costs, tax and inflation.
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🔒 Runs entirely in your browser – nothing you enter is uploaded or stored.
How to use it
- Enter your child's age – the state pays €10 a month from 6 until 18.
- Set an expected return and the yearly costs of both options.
- Add what you would pay in yourself – the table compares Frühstartrente and ETF depot at 18 and at 65.
Last checked: October 2026 · Based on: German Bundestag, Frühstartrente vote 16 Oct 2026; Bundesrat printed paper 445/26 (bill); German Income Tax Act § 22 no. 5; Investment Tax Act § 20 (30 % partial exemption); § 32d EStG + solidarity surcharge (26.375 %). Found a mistake? Use the form below – we fix confirmed errors and update the date.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Frühstartrente?
A state-funded retirement account for children in Germany: €10 per month from age 6 to 18, invested in the capital market. The Bundestag passed it on 16 Oct 2026; the Bundesrat still has to approve it. Planned start: 1 January 2027.
Can my child use the money at 18?
No. At 18 the money moves into a private pension contract; payout is planned from 65 at the earliest (exception: owner-occupied housing). Money in your own ETF depot is freely available.
Should I pay extra into the Frühstartrente?
Top-ups are allowed (up to €6,840 a year) but give parents no tax deduction and stay locked until 65. Compare the two rows in the table: the Frühstartrente has tax-free growth but a taxed payout; an ETF depot is flexible but gains are taxed when sold.