Unemployment Benefit Calculator Germany 2026
Calculate your monthly ALG I: benefit rate 60% or 67% with a child, entitlement duration 6–24 months and total entitlement – free and GDPR-compliant.
As of September 2026Basis: §§ 147–154 SGB III (Social Code III)Calculated in your browser – your inputs are not transmitted and are kept on this device only if you choose
Monthly gross pay before unemployment · tap or drag
Tax class , children in the household, years old, months insured (last 5 years).
More detailsEnd: Dismissal by the employer · severance none · side job none
What matters is whether you caused the unemployment yourself (Section 159 SGB III). A good reason (e.g. an imminent redundancy) can prevent the blocking period – the employment agency decides.
Days by which the job ended before the employer's ordinary notice period. 0 = notice observed.
After taxes, social contributions and work expenses
Unemployment benefit I monthly
for 12 months
€1,417.02
€1,417.02That is about €47.23 a day. You receive it for 12 months – around €17,004 in total.
Previous net pay → unemployment benefit
That is €916 less than your previous net pay – ALG I replaces about 61% of it.
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How long you receive the benefit
Your entitlement lasts 12 months – around €17,004 in total.
- Month 12Entitlement ends
Entitlement duration by age
- Under 50: max. 12 months
- From 50 + 30 mo. insurance: 15 months
- From 55 + 36 mo. insurance: 18 months
- From 58 + 48 mo. insurance: 24 months
From gross pay to unemployment benefit
What you can do
Benefit rate of 60% (no children in the household).
Important: ALG I must be applied for with the Employment Agency at the latest on the first day of unemployment.
Starting a business?
Calculate the start-up grant with this benefit and remaining entitlement
How this was calculated
- Your gross salary
- €3,500.00
- Assessment income (daily)
- €115.07
- Benefit income (daily)
- €78.72
- Benefit-relevant income (flat-rate)
- €2,361.70
- Benefit rate
- 60%
- ALG I daily
- €47.23
- ALG I monthly
- €1,417.02
- Entitlement duration
- 12 months (360 days)
- Total entitlement
- €17,004.23
- Net replacement rate
- 40.5% of gross pay
In practice, ALG I replaces about 60-67% of net income.
Calculation based on:
- Flat-rate benefit-relevant income under §153 SGB III
- Social insurance flat rate: 20%
- Income tax per official payroll tax schedule, depending on tax class
- Entitlement duration under §147 SGB III
“Previous net” is your estimated monthly net pay without church tax – for comparison only, it does not affect the benefit.
Unemployment benefit I 2026: everything you need to know
The unemployment benefit I (Arbeitslosengeld I, ALG I) is a benefit from the German unemployment insurance. It is paid to employees who have lost their job and have contributed to the unemployment insurance.
The benefit rate is 60% of the flat-rate net pay. If you have at least one child, you receive the increased benefit rate of 67%.
Requirements for ALG I
- Registered as unemployed
- You are without employment or work less than 15 hours per week
- Registered as a job seeker
- You have registered as a job seeker with the Employment Agency
- Qualifying period met
- At least 12 months of employment subject to social insurance within 30 months
- Available
- You are available to the labour market and can be placed in a job
How is ALG I calculated?
These factors affect your ALG I
- 1Assessment incomeAverage gross salary of the last 12 months (capped at the contribution ceiling)
- 2Tax classAffects the flat-rate income tax and therefore the benefit-relevant income
- 3ChildrenWith a child you receive 67% instead of 60% of the benefit-relevant income
- 4Contribution assessment ceiling€8,450/month nationwide (€101,400/year) - anything above is not taken into account
- Assessment income (gross)
- €3,500.00
- - Social insurance flat rate (20%)
- - €700.00
- - Income tax (flat-rate, incl. solidarity surcharge)
- - €444.30
- Benefit-relevant income (net)
- €2,355.70
- Benefit rate (67% with a child)
- x 67%
- Monthly ALG I
- €1,578.32
Entitlement duration under §147 SGB III
The benefit duration depends on your insurance period (how long you have contributed) and your age. The older you are and the longer you have contributed, the longer you can receive ALG I.
Benefit duration by age and insurance period
- 6 months
- With 12 months of insurance period, regardless of age
- 12 months
- With 24 months of insurance period, regardless of age
- 15-18 months
- From age 50 or 55 with 30-36 months of insurance period
- 24 months
- From age 58 with at least 48 months of insurance period
Tips for optimization
- 1Tax class changeSwitching to tax class III before the start of the year in which unemployment begins can increase ALG I – a switch during the benefit year itself only counts under the conditions of § 153 (3) SGB III
- 2Register earlyRegister as a job seeker at the latest 3 months before your employment ends
- 3Use extra earningsYou may earn up to €165 per month without it being offset
The assessment income is based on your regular gross salary of the last 12 months – overtime pay is included, provided it was subject to income tax. Anyone who is paid out a lot of overtime shortly before termination thereby increases the assessment income and, in turn, the later ALG I. Our overtime calculator shows how much of cashing out overtime remains net.
Frequently asked questions about unemployment benefit
Everything important about ALG I at a glance
What percentage of your salary is unemployment benefit?
ALG I is 60% of the flat-rate net pay (benefit-relevant income). If you have at least one child and receive child benefit, you receive the increased benefit rate of 67%.
How long do I receive unemployment benefit?
The benefit duration depends on your insurance period and your age. With 12 months of insurance period you receive 6 months of ALG I. With 24 months it is 12 months. From age 50 and a longer insurance period the entitlement can be up to 24 months.
Can I get more ALG I by changing tax class?
Yes, the tax class affects the benefit-relevant income. Tax class III leads to a higher ALG I than tax class V. What counts is the tax class in effect at the start of the year in which the entitlement arises (§ 153 (2) SGB III). A switch between spouses during that year is only taken into account if the new combination matches the ratio of the monthly salaries or results in a lower benefit.
How much can I earn on the side while receiving ALG I?
You may earn up to €165 per month without it being offset. Any earnings above that are offset against ALG I at 100%. Weekly working time must not exceed 15 hours.
What is the difference between ALG I and Bürgergeld?
ALG I is an insurance benefit from the unemployment insurance, for which you must have paid contributions. Bürgergeld (formerly ALG II) is a tax-financed social benefit for people without sufficient income or assets.
How high is unemployment benefit 2026 with a €3,000 gross salary?
With a €3,000 gross salary, tax class I and no children, the 2026 flat-rate benefit-relevant income is approximately €2,078 (after flat-rate income tax and the 20% social insurance flat rate, § 153 SGB III). The benefit rate is 60%, i.e. approximately €1,247 per month. With at least one child (benefit rate 67%) it would be approximately €1,389 per month. Our unemployment benefit calculator determines your individual amount.
How is unemployment benefit calculated in 2026?
The calculation runs in three steps: 1. Assessment income: average gross salary of the last 12 months (capped at the contribution assessment ceiling of €8,450/month). 2. Benefit-relevant income: gross salary minus flat-rate income tax and flat-rate social insurance (20%). 3. Benefit rate: 60% of the benefit-relevant income (67% with a child).
When does the entitlement to ALG I end?
The ALG I entitlement ends once the entitlement duration (6 to 24 months) has expired, when you take up employment of at least 15 hours per week, or once you reach the standard retirement age. Blocking periods (e.g. after rejecting a reasonable job offer) initially only suspend and reduce the entitlement – it only expires completely once blocking periods total at least 21 weeks (§ 161 SGB III). After ALG I, Bürgergeld may apply.