Itzehoe – November 02, 2026 -- From 2027, Germans can save for retirement in stocks and equity funds with state support, and you can still get the full subsidy if you sign up in autumn rather than January. That is the advice of Jörg Wiechmann, managing director of the Itzehoer Aktien Club (IAC), who urges savers not to rush into the new Altersvorsorgedepot.

Tax-free gains and up to €540 a year in state aid

The deal is simple: savers leave the money untouched until age 65, and investment gains stay tax-free during the saving phase. The state adds a subsidy of up to €540 a year, plus €300 for each child.

Saving €150 a month could add up to six figures

The maximum amount eligible for support is €1,800 a year, or €150 a month. After 20 years, that means €36,000 paid in. At an 8 percent return, which stocks have achieved over the long term in the past, that grows to about €85,000. With the basic state allowance, it reaches about €111,000.

After 40 years, Wiechmann says, the pot would exceed €600,000 from just €72,000 of the saver's own contributions.

New products have no track record yet

Wiechmann points out that the financial industry is advertising heavily, since long-running contracts promise a once-in-a-century business. He says long-term stock saving is a marathon, not a sprint. What matters is starting with the right strategy, not leaving the blocks first.

The products are newly developed and have no track record, he stresses. Waiting for the launch and comparing offers makes it easier to separate good deals from poor ones.

Signing during 2027 is enough for the full subsidy

According to Wiechmann, savers who take out a suitable contract at any point in 2027 and pay in the required contribution still receive the full subsidy from the start. In his view, a considered decision in autumn beats a hasty one in January.

The IAC plans to report regularly on developments through a newsletter.