Many guides on 2027 mix rules that have been firmly decided with plans that are still in parliament. This status check sorts the most important points into three stages: decided, in the legislative process, or planned and open. It does not replace the individual articles, but it shows where to read more and how reliable each statement is.
Short answer: For 2027, the statutory minimum wage of €14.60 per hour and the minijob threshold of €633 per month are decided, each from 1 January 2027. The Altersvorsorgedepot (a government-supported retirement savings account) has been passed by the Bundestag and the Bundesrat and is expected to start on 1 January 2027. The BAföG reform (federal student financing act) is in the legislative process and is not yet law. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points
- The minimum wage of €14.60 and the minijob threshold of €633 are decided, each from 1 January 2027.
- The Altersvorsorgedepot has been passed, with a start planned for 1 January 2027.
- The BAföG reform is a government draft in the Bundestag and has not yet been adopted.
- The early-start pension (Frühstart-Rente) has no binding status, and the 2027 pension contribution rate is not set in this overview.
- The care insurance surcharge for childless people is set to rise under the government bill, but the law is not yet in force.
What do decided, in the process and planned mean?
The three terms are not interchangeable. They describe different degrees of binding force, so it is worth distinguishing them before you plan around a rule:
- Decided means that the competent legislator has adopted the text. For laws, the date and the official reference belong to the statement.
- In the process means that the text is with the Bundestag or the Bundesrat. The outcome is open, and the content may still change.
- Planned or open means there is an announcement or a draft, but no reliable status with figures.
Binding law only arises once a rule is promulgated. A decided law may therefore not yet be in force. Conversely, a rule does not apply just because it appears in a newspaper.
The status at a glance
The table lists the points with their status and classification. For every point, the status is a snapshot and is reassessed at each stage of the procedure.
| Topic | Status | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage 2027 | €14.60 gross per hour from 1 January 2027 (MiLoV5) | decided |
| Minijob threshold 2027 | €633 per month from 1 January 2027 | decided |
| Altersvorsorgedepot | Bundestag 27 March 2026, Bundesrat 8 May 2026, start expected 1 January 2027 | decided |
| GKV contribution stabilisation act | Bundestag 10 July 2026, Bundesrat approval according to the Federal Ministry of Health | decided, entry into force not stated here |
| BAföG reform (30th amendment) | Cabinet 12 August 2026, Bundesrat opinion 25 September 2026, first reading 15 October 2026 | in the process |
| Care insurance surcharge for childless people | increase of 0.3 points to 0.9 points from 2027 under the government bill, cabinet decision 30 September 2026, Bundesrat Drucksache 587/26 | in the process |
| Early-start pension | no binding status on amount, age group and start date | open |
| Pension contribution rate 2027 | not set in this overview, 18.6 percent in 2026 | open |
What is already settled
For the minimum wage and the minijob threshold, the position is clear: the minimum wage rises to €14.60, and the threshold of €633 per month follows from it. The calculation and the details for students are in the article What Changes in 2027 for Work and Pay? Minimum Wage and Minijob (in German). The Altersvorsorgedepot is also decided. The support framework with basic and child allowances is explained in What Changes in 2027 for Pensions? An Overview for Younger Cohorts (in German), and the contract itself is covered in Altersvorsorgedepot 2027: Funding and Bonus for Young People (in German).
For the GKV contribution stabilisation act, the Bundestag approved the text on 10 July 2026. The Federal Ministry of Health also reports approval by the Bundesrat. When exactly the act enters into force and what it means for students is not quantified in this overview. The ministry’s press release states the procedural position (Bundestag passes GKV contribution stabilisation act).
What is in the legislative process
The BAföG reform is the largest item in the process. The government draft was submitted as printed paper 21/8405 on 7 October 2026 and was first debated in the Bundestag on 15 October 2026. On 25 September 2026 the Bundesrat issued its opinion and criticised, among other things, the late start of the housing allowance. The second and third readings and the Bundesrat’s final handling are still pending (printed paper 21/8405 in the Bundestag). More details are in BAföG Reform 2027: What Is Changing and When (English version).
What is open or planned
The early-start pension still has no binding status. Amount, age group and start date are not confirmed, and reports about it should not be read as law. According to the Federal Government, the increase of the care insurance surcharge for childless people has been approved by cabinet but is not yet in force. The surcharge would rise by 0.3 contribution points to 0.9 points, bringing the total for childless people to 4.5 percent.
This overview gives no figure for the 2027 pension contribution rate. The annual notice for the following year sets the rate. Until then, the most recently announced rate applies, and in 2026 it was 18.6 percent.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether a rule already applies?
What counts is promulgation in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) or the officially published ordinance. An announcement or a press release is not enough. You can find statutory texts on gesetze-im-internet.de (in German).
Why does the status change so often?
Legislative proposals pass through committees, readings and opinions. Until the final vote the content can change, sometimes even the figures. A check of the procedural position shortly before important deadlines is therefore worthwhile.
Can I rely on plans?
Do not build decisions with financial consequences on plans. Plan with the law in force and keep a buffer for planned changes until the legislator has decided. For support schemes such as BAföG, changes often only take effect with a new funding period, which can shift the effect by months.
Where can I find reliable information?
Reliable sources are statutory texts, printed papers of the Bundestag, published ordinances and the pages of the competent ministries and authorities. For individual questions, the competent office is the right contact.
What should I check before a key date?
Check whether the item is decided, in the process or planned, and whether it is binding for your case. A rule that takes effect on a fixed date may still depend on a later step, such as promulgation or the start of a funding period.
What to do now
- Make a list of the topics that affect you personally, such as pay, education funding, retirement saving and driving licences.
- Assign each point to one of the three stages: decided, in the process or planned and open.
- Plan only with decided law, and keep a buffer for planned changes.
- Check the status again shortly before important dates.
- Clarify individual questions with the competent authority before you make a decision.
Related articles
- What changes in 2027? The full overview of all key dates
- What Changes in 2027 for Work and Pay? Minimum Wage and Minijob
- Minijob Limit 2027 for Students: €633 a Month
- What Changes in 2027 for Pensions? An Overview for Younger Cohorts
- What Changes in April 2027? BAföG Reform as a Draft
Sources: Printed paper 21/8405, 30th BAföG amendment (last updated: November 2026) (in German); Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, cabinet decision on the BAföG reform (last updated: November 2026) (in German); Federal Ministry of Health, press release on the GKV contribution stabilisation act (last updated: November 2026) (in German); Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinance, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (last updated: November 2026) (in German); Federal Ministry of Health, press release on the Care Reorganisation Act of 30 September 2026 (in German); Bundesrat, Drucksache 587/26, government bill (9 October 2026) (in German).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
