Income and Budget Counseling as Part of an EAP
Anyone facing financial difficulties can easily become overwhelmed. This can also take a toll on their work. What’s more, if bills go unpaid, it can quickly lead to excessive debt—and, for you as an employer, a wage garnishment. Support your employees with income and budget counseling: preventive, personalized, and fast. In person, online, or via chat. And completely confidential.
Expert: Tanja Wöhner, Head of Income & Budget | Editor: Sabrina Ludwig
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In what ways does pme's income and budget counseling service support Familienservice?
As part of its EAP services, pme Familienservice provides employees with counseling—either in person or via chat—on budget planning issues.
The advisors work together to identify potential savings and ways to build savings, assist clients in applying for appropriate compensation and benefits from insurance companies or the federal government, and refer them to qualified experts.
Sudden life events such as illness or divorce, a low income, or a lack of financial literacy are often the reason why employees fall into debt. But current crises such as rising energy prices and inflation are also causing many people to have less and less of their paycheck left at the end of the month.
"It’s striking that we’re increasingly advising the middle class and higher-income individuals as well. These cases usually involve financial difficulties arising from a separation or divorce, or from receiving sick pay. Often, they also involve retirement planning and how to effectively plan for one’s own retirement in order to, ideally, maintain one’s standard of living."
— Tanja Wöhner, Head of Income and Budget Counseling, pme Familienservice
Topics Covered in Income and Budget Counseling
Whether it's divorce, illness, or retirement planning: As part of our EAP counseling services, we provide income and budget counseling to employees who have lost track of their finances and to those who want to make the most of their income.
Consulting topics include:
- Crisis Intervention (e.g., power shutoffs, wage garnishments)
- Finances in Special Life Situations (such as illness, accident, or addiction)
- Everyday Finances (e.g., household budgeting, insurance)
- Insolvency Proceedings
- Dealing with Debt (such as payment plans, negotiations with creditors)
- Referrals to Qualified Experts
pme-Beratung as a Recognized Insolvency Counseling Agency
As a recognized debtor and insolvency advice centre, we also provide advice and support in preparing and applying for consumer insolvency proceedings.
Additional Service: "My Familienservice" Customer Service Portal
Studies have shown that preventive programs that impart financial knowledge achieve a return on investment of 300 percent or even more.
The information portal “Mein.Familienservice” offers your employees a wide range of information pages and resources for all situations in life, such as mental health, workplace conflicts, and debt and financial difficulties. It features an extensive download section, video tutorials, and e-coaching. It includes a personalized home page with your employer’s logo and is optimized for all devices.
What happens during a consultation?
You can get in touch via the hotline, the intake chat, or directly through the Mindance app:
1. Assess the financial situation: Together , we’ll create a budget or review an existing one. This provides an overview of income, expenses, and the current financial situation.
2. Explore opportunities for savings and debt relief: Potential savings are identified based on the budget. If funds are still insufficient, it can be determined whether ongoing loan payments can be adjusted through an out-of-court agreement with creditors.
3. Determine next steps: In this context, an assessment is also made as to whether consumer bankruptcy proceedings are an option.
How does this offer benefit employers?
Unfortunately, employers also have an obligation and are liable as so-called third-party debtors in the event of an incorrect calculation of the garnishment exemption limit, both towards their employees and towards the creditor.
Given that wage garnishment —or even the initiation of insolvency proceedings—involves a time-consuming and risky process for the employer, it is essential that the employee’s debt be resolved as quickly and effectively as possible.
Your benefits as an employer
- Avoiding wage and salary garnishments and prolonged absences due to employees experiencing mental health issues
- Safeguarding the performance of employees
- Retention of your employees
Over-indebtedness in Germany Affects the Middle Class
After six years of declining figures, excessive debt is on the rise again in Germany: By 2025, 5.67 million people over the age of 18 will once again be in debt—111,000 more than the previous year. The Creditreform Economic Forum believes that, after years of saving, people are now having to dip into their financial reserves.
Even people with a stable income and a regular daily routine are affected. Excessive debt is no longer a marginal phenomenon, and according to the 2025 German Debt Atlas, this increase is evident in nearly all social groups.
Your contact person
Tanja Wöhner, Director of Income and Budget Counseling
Three anonymized case studies from income and budget counseling
Case 1: No reserves - Martin, 28 years old
"Even though I actually think I earn enough, my income barely lasts until the end of the month. Income and budget counseling from pme Familienservice helped me get a better overview of my finances by creating a budget and using a budgeting app, and it also helped me take a closer look at my insurance policies."
"That's how I've managed to set aside a certain amount each month. This allows me to build up savings for larger purchases and also set aside some money for retirement."
Case 2: Debt collection due to prolonged illness - Martina, 43 years old
"Ever since I was sick for a long time, unpaid bills have been piling up at my house. In the end, I couldn't even bring myself to open the letters anymore; some were even from collection agencies. I was really embarrassed by all of it.
After confiding in a colleague, who gave me the number for pme ( Familienservice ), I scheduled a counseling appointment there. A counselor encouraged me to bring my unopened letters with me, and we began sorting through them. With her help, I’ve now gained a clear overview of my debts; we’ve drawn up an installment payment plan, and she’s supported me in my negotiations with my creditors. Now I can look to the future with renewed optimism."
Case 3: Attachment of wages and bailiff - Ronald, 52 years old
"I had realized for quite some time that I was deeply in debt and couldn't pay off my obligations. My paycheck was being garnished, my bank account was frozen, and the bailiff had already visited me several times. I kept trying to satisfy the most urgent creditors with the lowest payments, overlooking the fact that I didn’t have the money to pay the overdue electricity bill as well. When I was threatened with having my electricity shut off, I mustered all my courage and went to seek counseling.
"With the help of pme Familienservice , a recognized debt and bankruptcy counseling agency, I filed for personal bankruptcy a few months ago. Now I have some peace from my creditors; my employer transfers the garnishable portion of my income to the bankruptcy counselor, and I know exactly how much income I can count on each month."
