Sozialversicherungsbeiträge stabilisieren, Lasten gerecht verteilen

Demographic ageing is placing German social insurance systems under considerable financial pressure. Under current law, the total contribution rate across all branches is projected to rise to just under 50% by 2040. This article shows that the increase not only dampens economic growth but also has significant distributional effects: younger generations will bear a heavier burden over the course of their working lives than older generations. Furthermore, low- and middle-income earners are disproportionately affected. Various policy measures are being discussed to stabilise contribution rates: non-contributory benefits should be reviewed and covered by taxes, indexation mechanisms should be linked to demographic trends, higher labour force participation and targeted labour migration should be promoted and supplementary funded components should be expanded.