Corporate Benefits

Understand your corporate benefits

German employers offer a range of benefits beyond salary. Learn what they mean, how they compare, and how to use them strategically as an expat.

Understand what your employer may already offer

You may already have employer benefits you’re not using

Company pension, employer top-ups and VL can be easy to miss — especially if you’re new to Germany. We explain what may apply to you in plain English.

Free 15-minute call about your situation

Not sure which benefits apply to you? Unsure how to approach your employer? In 15 minutes we break down your situation and explain your options — free and with no obligation.

The basics to company pension:

A simple gross-to-net comparison showing why part of your bAV contribution is offset by lower tax and social deductions.

Illustrative example: 5,000 € gross/month, simplified calculation, no church tax.
Without company pension
Gross Salary5,000 €
Income Tax−930 €
Social Security−893 €
Net Salary3,177 €

More Investment, less Net Loss

With bAV, you save directly from your gross salary and reduce taxes and social security contributions.

Monthly bAV contribution
With company pension
Gross Salary5,000 € − 200 €
Income Tax−863 €
Social Security−857 €
Net Salary3,080 €

In most cases, your employer adds 15% on top.

That means more money goes into your retirement plan than you contribute yourself.

Your Investment200 €
Employer’s 15%+30 €
Your Net Salary Loss97 €

97 € less net salary 230 € invested for your future.

Important to know: there are downsides to this as well, like lower statutory pension and delayed taxation.

We’ll help you understand how you can use the system to your benefit in your situation.

VL/VWL: a small benefit many people forget to use

Some employers contribute monthly to a savings product for you — but many employees never activate it.

  1. Step 1: Check your employer setup

    See whether your employer or collective agreement includes VL.

  2. Step 2: Choose an eligible savings product

    For example, an investment-based or contract-based option that can receive VL contributions.

  3. Step 3: Submit it to payroll

    Once set up, the contribution can run automatically through your salary process.

A small monthly amount can still be worth checking — especially if it has been available to you for a while.

Why this matters especially if you’re new to Germany

The rules may be standard, but what actually makes sense depends on your employer, your plans in Germany and how long you expect to stay.

In many cases, employees in Germany have access to a company pension via salary conversion. What is actually available in practice depends on employer setup, payroll structure and sometimes collective-agreement rules.

Some benefits can continue, transfer or pause — but the practical outcome depends on the product and employer arrangement. This is one reason a quick personal review can help.

This is exactly where many expats want clarity. Whether a benefit still makes sense depends on timeframe, portability, tax treatment and your long-term plans.

Usually the most relevant starting points are the company pension, employer top-ups, VL and any other salary-linked benefits already available through your job.