A piggy bank hung with a colorful string of lights
Finance & Law
27.10.2025 Sabrina Ludwig 24299

How to protect your Christmas bonus from garnishment!

If you have financial problems and debts and have already had your wages or salary garnished, you can still look forward to receiving your employer's Christmas bonus. This is because the Christmas bonus is protected from garnishment up to 780 euros.
 

In summary: Protect your Christmas bonus from garnishment

Christmas bonus has been protected against garnishment up to 780 euros since July 2025. Employers pay out the protected amount automatically.

In the case of account seizures, the seizure protection on the P-account must be increased by application. Special payments at the end of the year are also protected if they are paid between November and January.

How high is the garnishment protection for Christmas bonuses?

The regulations are clear: Christmas bonuses are unattachable up to half of the monthly allowance in accordance with section 850c (1) no. 3 ZPO in conjunction with section 850c (4) no. 1 ZPO. Since July 1, 2025, this amount has been a maximum of EUR 780 (section 850c (1) no. 3 ZPO in conjunction with section 850c (4) no. 1 ZPO).

Note tax deductions for Christmas bonuses

You must bear this in mind: Taxes and social security contributions are deducted from the 780 euros.

Automatic payout and garnishment protection - what employers need to do

The employer must determine how much of the Christmas bonus is non-garnishable and transfer it to the employee with the salary. This happens automatically and the employee does not need to worry about anything.

If this does not happen automatically, the person concerned must initiate a clarifying discussion with their employer.

Do you have an account seizure? Then do so:

However, if you have an account attachment, you should urgently increase the amount that cannot be attached to the attachment protection account (P account) by the amount of the Christmas bonus.

Just because you have a P-account does not mean that the garnishment-free Christmas bonus is protected.

"This is because the protected basic amount and other already certified allowances will generally not be enough to secure the extra Christmas bonus," the consumer advice center points out on its website.

For this purpose, the debtor must file a corresponding application with the enforcement court of the place of residence, which is a division of the local court.

Sample letter: Additional release of the Christmas bonus for a P-account

A sample letter (additional release of the Christmas bonus for a P-account) can be easily downloaded from the consumer advice center:

Sample letter: Additional release of the Christmas bonus

When does garnishment protection also apply to special payments?

Important: The special remuneration paid out at the end of the year does not necessarily have to be called Christmas bonus or Christmas gratuity in order to receive the additional attachment protection. It is sufficient if the payment is made in connection with Christmas - i.e. between mid-November and mid-January of the following year.

Tips for those affected - act quickly!

Those affected should take action quickly, as the Christmas bonus is usually paid out with the November salary.

Help and contacts:in

If you have any questions or need assistance, affected employees whose company is a customer of pme Familienservice are welcome to contact the

pme income and budget counseling team
Angelika Heede
(specialist advisor)

Sources:

Consumer advice center

zero pme expands product range: Medical services that provide relief

Happy woman at the doctor's
Offer
20.10.2025 Christin Müller 1411

pme expands product range: Medical services that provide relief

There is often little time for your own health in everyday working life. Medical advice is becoming increasingly difficult to access - appointments are rare, waiting times are long and there is often no time for in-depth discussions in everyday practice. At the same time, however, workloads and stress are increasing.

With our health coaching and medical advice product extensions, we are responding to precisely this: we offer uncomplicated, fast and competent support that can be flexibly integrated into everyday life - and thus create noticeable relief for companies and their employees.

Summary

With health coaching and medical advice, pme Familienservice provides modern, holistic solutions that strengthen the health and performance of employees - for more success and satisfaction in the company.

Individual health coaching: more well-being in everyday life

Health coaching from pme offers personal 1:1 support on key health topics such as nutrition, exercise, sleep & recovery and hormone health. This benefits not only people with health problems, but also healthy employees who want to take preventative action.

Coaching topics include

  • Weight management and healthy eating
  • More movement in everyday life
  • Sleep hygiene and recovery
  • Dealing with stress, lack of concentration or exhaustion
  • and from 2026 Hormone health: menstrual cycle, PMS, menopause, cortisol & stress, gut health

Sustainable and individual change through the integration of healthy habits in everyday life - uncomplicated, digital and independent of location. The pme network of experts stands for in-depth knowledge and individual solutions.

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To the data protection settings "

Medical advice: competent support - fast and understandable

Medical advice from pme Familienservice offers employees flexible and uncomplicated access to experienced doctors. Here you get:

  • Clear explanations of diagnoses, findings, medication and symptoms
  • Recommendations for therapy and treatment options
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  • Help with questions about health insurance benefits (e.g. IGEL services)
  • Possibility of obtaining an independent second opinion

Thanks to digital advice and flexible appointment allocation, employees save valuable time and receive competent answers quickly - securely and in compliance with data protection regulations. If required, the pme research team can even take over the time-consuming search for suitable specialist appointments.

Who can use the services?

Our services are aimed at all employees of companies that work with pme Familienservice - regardless of their position, working hours or individual health status. 

Regardless of whether someone wants to take preventative action, tackle health complaints or simply bring more well-being into their everyday life: medical advice is available to all companies that have purchased Homecare Eldercare or Life Situation Coaching, while health coaching can be used within Life Situation Coaching.

Managers also benefit by being able to support and relieve their teams in a targeted manner.

It is uncomplicated, confidential and flexible to use - digitally or in person, depending on your individual needs.

Health services that work for your employees

Would you like to know whether you can take advantage of our health services? Please contact your business customer service.

Advantages for companies and employees

With the new services, companies across Germany benefit from improved healthcare for their teams - independent of health insurance benefits, cost-neutral and confidential. 

Fast appointments, location-independent access and individual advice provide real relief in stressful everyday working life, clarification and more satisfaction in professional and private life.