A Company Pension Plan That Actually Pays
Transform your company’s pension plan options with Pensionfriend—a modern solution designed for better returns and real impact.
Why Traditional Company Pension Plans Fall Short
More and more employees are realizing that direct company pension plans often fail to provide a fair deal.
Low Returns: Investments are primarily in fixed-rate instruments that deliver poor growth.
High Fees: Significant costs, including upfront fees of up to 20% in the first five years, severely limit pension growth.
Hidden Losses: Traditional plans reduce valuable public pension entitlements, often without employees realizing it.
Tax Burdens in Retirement: Employees face unexpected tax implications when accessing their savings, reducing the final payout.
Inflexibility: Funds are locked until retirement and cannot be used as collateral, for example, when purchasing a home.
Lack of Transparency: Annual statements are complex, making it difficult for employees to understand costs, investment scope, and potential returns.
Traditional plans no longer meet modern financial needs, leaving employees with suboptimal outcomes.
See the Difference
Here’s how a typical German company pension solution like DWS Garant 80 ESG compares to the S&P 500 Index:
DWS Garant 80 ESG: Low returns (before costs) barely keep pace with inflation.
S&P 500 Index: Significantly higher growth over the same period.
This is why many company pension plans in Germany fall short. Pensionfriend helps close the gap with ETF-based investments that deliver far better long-term outcomes.
A Smarter Approach
Empower your employees to make the most of the pension subsidy you’re providing.
Traditional plans worked well in high-interest-rate environments, but today:
Interest returns are minimal, and surpluses are rarely invested in ETFs or stocks.
Employees are increasingly aware of hidden public pension losses and future tax burdens often overlooked by brokers.
Modern calculators now reveal these low returns and hidden costs transparently.
As an employer, you want to:
Avoid disgruntled employees who feel inadequately informed or misled.
Maximize the value of your salary budget to attract and retain top talent.
With Pensionfriend, your employees receive the education and tools they need to make informed decisions about their retirement, ensuring their savings work harder for them.
How can Pensionfriend enhance benefits?
Our Private Pension Plan empowers your employees with tailored benefits and delivers significant advantages over classical company plans.
Learn moreHow to Handle Existing Plans?
You don’t need to offer a traditional company plan. You only need to honor existing plans.
Any existing employee who wants to continue a traditional plan can still use it. No change is needed.
Any new employee can bring their own existing plan—just instruct your payroll provider to process payments into that plan and deduct them from salaries.
It is actually better for such new employees if you endorse their existing plan: it saves them upfront costs.
Canceling a traditional plan will still be a better deal for nearly all employees, but the choice remains theirs.
How It Works in 4 Simple Steps
Step 1: Employee Signs Up Online
Employees enroll in their plan online, review their desired contribution amount, and select from tailored investment options.
Step 2: Personal Consultation
Our financial experts provide personalized advice, ensuring employees understand their choices and make informed decisions about their retirement savings.
Step 3: Contract Signing and Employer Notification
Employees complete a simple online signing process. The employer is automatically notified and provides instructions to their payroll provider to adjust salary calculations and transfer contributions directly to the pension account.
Step 4: Employee Manages Pension From the App
Employees track their investments, adjust contributions, and access annual performance reports—all through a user-friendly app that makes managing retirement savings simple and transparent.
Why Choose Pensionfriend?
ETF Investments: Employees invest in high-performance, low-cost ETFs, maximizing growth and long-term returns.
Flexible Employer Subsidies: Employers can set their contribution level without the restrictions and complexities of traditional plans.
Full Transparency: No hidden fees, no pension loss, no exit fees, and no inflexible contracts—just real value.
Better Legal Framework for Results and Flexibility: Taxes are paid upfront rather than deferred, enabling better investment opportunities.This approach ensures employees’ savings are well-invested and available when they need them