Calculate your severance pay with our free calculator

  • Calculate your severance pay with our calculator
  • Learn how to get a fair severance payment - and not give away monies you are legally entitled to
  • Find out how AbfindungsHero and our partner law firms can help

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Did you already receive a termination or a draft termination agreement?

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When did you receive the termination letter?

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Very good: In general, you have only 3 weeks  to defend yourself against a termination in Germany!

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Important note: In general, you have only 3 weeks  to defend yourself against a termination in Germany!

This means that you will most likely not be able to sue for the amount of severance pay we calculate for you!

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When do you expect the termination letter?

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When do you expect the termination agreement?

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How many years have you been employed by your employer? 

Please indicate full years (from the 7th month round up to one more year). The length of employment is very important for the amount of your severance pay.

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How many people are employed in your company?

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Are you sure that your company has a maximum of 10 employees?

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What is your monthly income (gross salary)?

A higher basic salary usually results in a higher severance payment.

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In your view, are there any other outstanding claims against your employer?

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Do you have legal expense insurance for labour law?

It´s ok if you don´t have one. We can still help you!

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Would you like to discuss your questions directly and free of charge with one of our lawyers, sepcialized in labour law? This limited-time offer is completely free of charge and non-binding for you!

++ Only as long as free capacities are available ++

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We calculate your severance pay! 

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Your expected severance pay is between 

0.5 * @beschaeftigungsdauer_num * @monatseinkommen_num€ and 

1.2 * @beschaeftigungsdauer_num * @monatseinkommen_num€.

How much money you ultimately receive depends on a number of different factors. Because every case is different. To ensure that you receive the best possible severance pay, we advise you to discuss the specifics of your case with a lawyer. Please therefore consider the following table as a rough guide only – your severance pay can be significantly higher (or lower)! 

Standard severance payment: 0.5 * @beschaeftigungsdauer_num * @monatseinkommen_num €

This severance payment, often referred to as the ‘standard severance payment’ (Regelabfindung) with a factor of 0.5, is often introduced by the employer as a ‘first offer’. The legislator also partly bases itself on this factor (§ 1a KSchG). 

However, this does not make the settlement the ‘rule’. Unless the termination is obviously effective, employees can expect more simply by filing a wrongful dismissal suit. For example, severance pay is sometimes significantly higher for short periods of employment, large employers and in many labour courts in the south of Germany.

Incidentally, if you have any further claims against your employer, these normally apply ‘in addition’ to your standard severance pay. With a cancellation agreement, you therefore have to pay close attention to whether, for example, a ‘compensation clause’ eliminates such further claims.

Is your employer offering you a factor of 0.5 or less?

You could be entitled to significantly more: get free, non-binding advice from our partner lawyer now.

Good severance pay: 0.75 * @beschaeftigungsdauer_num * @monatseinkommen_num€

This would be a common outcome of negotiations, in which the severance payment is based on a factor between 0.5 and 0.8. If the employee does not accept the employer's first offer, but instead files a lawsuit, the parties often agree on a settlement above the standard severance payment. 

But as always, it depends on the circumstances of the individual case. In particular, if the employee has strong arguments against the validity of a dismissal and wants to avoid a lengthy legal battle, and depending on the labour court, ‘more’ can sometimes be achieved. However, in many labour courts in northern and eastern Germany, this is a good severance payment if there are no special circumstances.

In this case, too, further outstanding claims against the employer would apply, provided that they have not been settled by way of a settlement.

Very good severance pay: 1* @beschaeftigungsdauer_num * @monatseinkommen_num€

In most cases, this would be a very good result. Here, the severance payment is based on a factor of ‘around 1.0’ (between 0.8 and 1.2). To achieve such a result, particularly good arguments against the effectiveness of a termination and considerable negotiating skills are required.

Of course, it also depends on the circumstances of the individual case.  If a dismissal is obviously invalid (for example, due to formal defects – or during parental leave, obviously incorrect social selection, etc.), a severance payment with a factor between 0.8 and 1.2 may well be the result. This is particularly the case if the employer is financially strong and an employee-friendly labour court makes the decision.

In this case, too, further claims against the employer would generally apply. 

Severance pay in special cases: >1.2 * @beschaeftigungsdauer_num * @monatseinkommen_num€

In special cases, a severance payment based on a factor of >1.2 may also be awarded. Such circumstances could, for example, be an obvious ineffectiveness of the termination without any possibility of remedy (this may be the case, for example, with the ‘ordinary’ termination of a works council member, the

termination of a pregnant woman or a severely disabled person). This should be assessed by a lawyer. To receive higher severance payments, the employer must be financially strong and have a strong interest in terminating the contract. 

Again, it depends on the circumstances of the individual case. Even if it sounds as if such severance payments are absolute exceptions, they do occur again and again.

Of course, further outstanding claims against the employer would also apply in principle.

How do you achieve the higher severance pay?

Get a free and non-binding initial consultation with our partner lawyer now for more clarity regarding the prospects of success and possible strategies.

This is how you maximise your severance pay: 

1. Book an initial consultation

Arrange a free, no-obligation appointment to speak with one of our partner lawyers specialising in labour law for employees to discuss your individual severance package.

2. Determine approach

On the basis of the initial consultation, you determine the further course of action – e.g. whether you want to hire a lawyer to fight for the ‘full and fair’ severance pay for you. However, in our experience, it is extremely difficult to achieve a severance pay at the upper end of your range without a lawyer.

3. Get severance pay

With the help of our partner solicitor, you can get the highest possible compensation, have all other claims (if any) paid out, and get a good reference. And then you can start over! 

Useful tips:

After a dismissal, a lawsuit against unfair dismissal must be filed within three weeks. Otherwise, the termination is considered effective, even if it is completely illegal and would have been rejected out of hand by any court. Once the three weeks have passed, it is too late for you (unlike in the case of a cancellation agreement). The period begins when you receive the notice of termination. In very rare exceptions, such as in the case of serious illness, the period can be extended.

Registering as a jobseeker

Registering as a jobseeker and unemployed after losing your job: Find out when you should register as a jobseeker and unemployed and start looking for work. What deadlines need to be met and what financial support are you entitled to? 

Blue card / Visa

Your residence permit may be linked to an employment contract. This means that you must inform the immigration office if you lose your job. You will also need a new job in order to keep your residence permit. Further information on the blue card and visas in the event of job loss can be found here.

Legal expenses insurance

If you are (only) anticipating the possibility of a termination and do not yet have legal expenses insurance, now is a good time to change that. Please note: Most legal expenses insurance policies have a waiting period of at least three months.

Lawsuit: with or without a lawyer?

In our experience, it is extremely difficult to achieve a settlement at the upper end of your range without a lawyer. A lawsuit should always be filed by a lawyer anyway. Even if, in theory, you could do it yourself. But we advise against it.  

Even if you have ‘only’ received an offer for a termination agreement, you should hire a lawyer to take over the negotiation for you. To get a severance payment at the upper end, it is practically only possible with very good arguments. These usually come from the lawyer. His mere presence emphasises that you are ‘serious’ and that you will not leave the negotiation with a standard severance payment. In our experience, a good lawyer almost always pays off. Even if you do not have legal expenses insurance. You can normally cover the legal fees you have to pay from the higher severance payment! 

How do you achieve the higher severance pay?

Get a free and non-binding initial consultation with our partner lawyer now for more clarity regarding the prospects of success and possible strategies.

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In which postcode region do you live?

To narrow down the region when searching for a suitable specialist lawyer

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Almost done! Who is the free & non-binding initial consultation with our specialist lawyer for?

By the way: All our partners are specialised lawyers and participate in our programme for free and non-binding initial consultations. Feel free to try it out!

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Thank you for your interest! 

Our specialist lawyer will contact you shortly to discuss possible further steps. Don't worry! This initial consultation is free of charge and without obligation for you. 

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Who will contact you?  

Our partner lawyer for your region will contact you shortly. All partner lawyers are specialised lawyers for labour law. 

Our partner lawyers' main areas of practice are conducting termination disputes (dismissal, warning, termination agreement), enforcing royalties and bonuses and representation in larger proceedings (social plans, etc.).

Who are we?

We at AbfindungsHero are a fantastic team of 20 in the heart of Berlin. We support employees in labour law disputes with their employer competently & quickly with the help of our partner lawyers specialized in labour law. 

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Who is the free & non-binding initial consultation with our specialist lawyer for?

By the way: All our partners are specialised lawyers and participate in our programme for free and non-binding initial consultations. Feel free to try it out!

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Thank you very much! Your expected severance pay is between 0.5 * @beschaeftigungsdauer_num * @monatseinkommen_num€ and 

1.2 * @beschaeftigungsdauer_num * @monatseinkommen_num€.

How much money you ultimately receive depends, of course, on your negotiating skills (and those of your lawyer). Because every case is different. That is why it is especially important that you discuss the specifics of your case with a lawyer.

As a rule of thumb, you can use the following formula to calculate your severance pay: Monthly salary x length of service (years) x factor (between 0.5 to 1.2). There are swings in both directions, but you can say that if the factor for calculating your severance pay is 0.5, your severance pay is at the lower end of the possible range. If the factor is close to or even above 1.0, your settlement amount is at the upper end of the possible range.

What issues are often discussed with a lawyer?

In a free initial telephone consultation, you can discuss the following questions, for example, with one of our partner lawyers:

  • question-help-square
    What severance pay are you entitled to?
  • question-help-square
    Which tactic is the best - and how long is all this going to take?
  • question-help-square
    What additional claims do you have "on top" of your severance pay?
  • question-help-square
    Do you have to keep going to work?
  • question-help-square
    How can you avoid a "blocking period" for unemployment benefits?
  • question-help-square
    What happens to remaining leave and overtime pay?

Who are we?

We at AbfindungsHero are a fantastic team of 20 in the heart of Berlin. We support employees in labour law disputes with their employer competently & quickly with the help of our partner lawyers specialized in labour law. 

My image
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How many people are employed in your company?

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What is your monthly income (gross salary)?

A higher basic salary usually results in a higher severance payment.

Value:
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How many years have you been employed by your employer? 

Please indicate full years (from the 7th month round up to one more year). The length of employment is very important for the amount of your severance pay.

Value:
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We calculate your severance pay! 

One moment please ...

Thank you very much! Your expected severance pay is between 0.5 *@beschaeftigungsdauer1_num * @monatseinkommen1_num€ and 1.2 * @beschaeftigungsdauer1_num * @monatseinkommen1_num€.

How much money you ultimately receive depends, of course, on your negotiating skills (and those of your lawyer). Because every case is different. That is why it is especially important that you discuss the specifics of your case with a lawyer.

As a rule of thumb, you can use the following formula to calculate your severance pay: Monthly salary x length of service (years) x factor (between 0.5 to 1.2). There are swings in both directions, but you can say that if the factor for calculating your severance pay is 0.5, your severance pay is at the lower end of the possible range. If the factor is close to or even above 1.0, your settlement amount is at the upper end of the possible range.

What issues are often discussed with a lawyer?

In a free initial telephone consultation, you can discuss the following questions, for example, with one of our partner lawyers:

  • question-help-square
    What severance pay are you entitled to?
  • question-help-square
    Which tactic is the best - and how long is all this going to take?
  • question-help-square
    What additional claims do you have "on top" of your severance pay?
  • question-help-square
    Do you have to keep going to work?
  • question-help-square
    How can you avoid a "blocking period" for unemployment benefits?
  • question-help-square
    What happens to remaining leave and overtime pay?

Who are we?

We at AbfindungsHero are a fantastic team of 20 in the heart of Berlin. We support employees in labour law disputes with their employer competently & quickly with the help of our partner lawyers specialized in labour law. 

My image
human-resources-employee
Fast & easy calculation
Results in under two minutes
money-bag-euro
Free of charge & no obligations
Non-binding and free of charge
shield-check-1
100% secure data handling
Confidential treatment of your data

Calculate your severance pay with our free calculator

  • Calculate your severance pay with our calculator
  • Learn how to get a fair severance payment - and not give away monies you are legally entitled to
  • Find out how AbfindungsHero and our partner law firms can help

We promise: 

human-resources-employee
Fast & easy calculation
Results in under two minutes
money-bag-euro
Free of charge & no obligations
Non-binding and free of charge
shield-check-1
100% secure data handling
Confidential treatment of your data

Severance payment calculator - a guide for your specific legal case

Use our severance pay calculator to obtain a quick and free initial estimate of the amount of your potential severance pay. The calculator covers a comprehensive range that reflects 90% of the usual severance payments. Please note that there can always be exceptions, both upwards and downwards. The final amount of your settlement will be significantly influenced by your negotiation skills or those of your lawyer, as each case is individual. Professional advice can be beneficial here. Our network lawyers offer a free initial consultation so that you can then make an informed decision as to whether you want to take the negotiations into your own hands or call on the expertise of a lawyer.

Rough rule of thumb for calculating the severance payment amount: A simple guideline for estimating your severance payment amount is the formula Monthly salary multiplied by years of service and a variable factor between 0.5 and 1.2. A lower factor indicates a lower severance offer, while a factor near or above 1.0 will catapult your severance pay into the higher range. You will find an example of the usual severance amounts in the attached table. These calculation principles also form the basis of our severance pay calculator, which will hopefully help you to make a well-founded assessment.

Calculate your settlement amount

Calculate the settlement amount for your individual case now.

Calculate severance pay: Procedure and which requirements should be met

Of course, you can also calculate your approximate severance payment yourself. In principle, two basic requirements should be met when calculating the severance payment, for example after a dismissal:

1.) Length of service longer than 6 months (probationary period ended) → You can find more details on why this is the case here (Dismissal Protection Act)

2.) Number of employees in the company more than 10 → more information on protection against dismissal in small companies

3.) If notice of dismissal has already been given, the notice of dismissal must not have been received more than 3 weeks ago → more information on missing the deadline for filing a complaint after a dismissal

If these points are met, you can use the following formula to calculate the standard severance payment 

Standard severance payment = factor 0.5 * monthly gross salary * years of service with the company  

In addition, some more information on the monthly gross salary. The following forms of remuneration are also included here:

  • ionicons-v5-a
    Bonus payments
  • ionicons-v5-a
    bonuses
  • ionicons-v5-a
    Holiday pay
  • ionicons-v5-a
    Christmas bonus
  • ionicons-v5-a
    Monetary benefits
  • ionicons-v5-a
    Company pension scheme
  • ionicons-v5-a
    Commissions
  • ionicons-v5-a
    Company car

Free initial consultation with a specialist lawyer?

Arrange a free and non-binding initial consultation with our partner lawyer now for more clarity regarding strategy and prospects of success.

The decisive variable component in the calculation of the severance payment is the factor, here there is sometimes considerable leeway to adjust the amount of your severance payment. What does the factor depend on when calculating the severance payment amount? Conditions that favour a higher severance payment above the standard severance payment are, for example:

  • ionicons-v5-a
    Age: Under 40 = 0.5, 40 -49 = 0.75, over 50 = 1.0
  • ionicons-v5-a
    Children
  • ionicons-v5-a
    Parental leave
  • ionicons-v5-a
    Disability

Calculating the amount of severance pay: example calculation

Mr Müller negotiates a termination agreement with his employer - his monthly salary is €4,000. Mr Müller has also worked for the company for 4 years. What severance payment should he negotiate?


Standard severance payment: 0.5 * 4,000 (monthly salary) * 4 (years of service) = €8,000


The standard severance payment is the minimum that Mr Müller should demand. In many cases, the severance payment may even be significantly higher. In our severance calculator, we show a range between 0.5 and 1. In the case of Mr Müller, this would be a potential severance payment of between €8,000 and €16,000.


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Calculate your severance payment

Calculate the settlement amount for your individual case now.

Gross-net severance payment calculator: How is the severance payment taxed?

Severance payment tax calculator: What tax is paid on the severance payment is a downstream question - initially the focus should be on the amount of the severance payment. However, the question of taxation of the severance payment arises at the latest after the amount of the severance payment has been determined - i.e. after the agreement between employee and employer.


Severance payments following a dismissal are subject to income tax, but can be tax-relieved by the one-fifth rule. This rule applies in the case of an "accumulation of income" if the one-off severance payment increases the annual income unusually compared to a normal income over several years. The decisive factor is that the severance payment is paid within one year.


Calculating the tax on this severance payment is somewhat complex. The taxable income without the severance payment is compared with the income plus one fifth of the severance payment. The difference between these tax amounts, multiplied by five, gives the tax on the severance payment.

You can use our severance pay calculator to quickly determine the exact tax burden. By entering the severance payment amount and annual gross salary, the tool calculates the tax due. No social security contributions are normally payable on severance payments, as these are regarded as compensation for the loss of employment and not as wages or salary.

We have summarised a few tips and tricks on how you can save tax on your severance pay.

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Calculate severance pay now free of charge

> Calculate potential severance payment amount

> Strategy for negotiating a fair severance payment

> Find suitable lawyers for labour law

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Please note: As a rule, you are not entitled to a severance payment.

Employees who are dismissed during their probationary period are not usually entitled to a severance payment. However, they may be able to claim compensation for holiday not taken and for the outstanding salary up to the end of their employment. 

You can find more information about termination during the probationary period on our website.

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We are sorry! Our partner lawyers do not have any capacity at the moment. Unfortunately, we are therefore unable to help you with your case.

In addition to numerous online offers, you can search for suitable lawyers for your area of law here on the website of the German Federal Bar Association (Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer).

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