A piggy bank hung with a colorful string of lights
Finance & Law
27.10.2025 Sabrina Ludwig 23579

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 Also for beginners: free online yoga course

Curvy woman does yoga in front of her laptop
Body & Soul
20.11.2024 Gabriele Strasser 60241

Free: With online yoga throughout the year

Germany's largest online yoga program with over 10,000 registered participants will continue in 2025. All year round, every Tuesday evening. Be part of it! 

Our certified yoga teachers Fjodor and Vera focus on common workplace-specific stresses and strains and put together a varied program throughout the year. Whether shoulders, neck, lower back, pelvic floor or feet: our body parts, which are often stressed in everyday life, get the attention they deserve in the yoga sessions. Relaxation sessions and breathing exercises help you to calm down. 

Join in live or practice flexibly with the recording at your own pace - as it best suits your everyday life.

Do you have any questions in advance? Take a look at our FAQs.

Free online yoga: our yoga teachers

Our yoga teachers Fjodor and Vera are certified trainers with extensive experience. They take it in turns to teach the pme Familienservice online yoga course. 

Kickstart exercise for the new year: seated cat-cow (Marjariasana)

The 'cat-cow pose' is a yoga exercise that is usually practiced on a yoga mat. Here is an adapted version that you can do comfortably on a chair. 

  1. Sitting posture: Sit upright on a chair with your feet parallel to the floor.
  2. Hand placement: Position your hands on your thighs or knees.
  3. Inhale - cow pose: lift the chest slightly - lower the abdomen forward - roll the shoulders back and down - look up to lengthen the neck.
  4. Exhale - cat pose: round your back upwards like a cat stretching - lower your head down to curve your spine - tighten your abdominal muscles.
  5. Repetition: Alternate between the cow and cat position in a breathing rhythm.

This adapted version on the chair allows for a gentle stretch of the spine and encourages flexibility even when you can't sit on the floor. Note, however, that it is important to listen to your body and perform the exercise in a range that is comfortable for you

Free online yoga: now available on YouTube

Our popular Tuesday evening yoga class is now available on YouTube. You can join in at any time. To make sure you're always up to date, simply subscribe to our YouTube channel and click on the notification bell. This way you will be notified as soon as a new video is published. 

Date: From now until 12/31/2025, Tuesdays from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Venue: virtual
Contact: familienservice
Costs: free of charge

Click here for our YouTube channel

pme health: Effective BGM in blended learning format

Our occupational health management (OHM) services are characterized by their holistic approach and individuality. From strategy development to needs analysis and evaluation, we establish, supplement and optimize companies' occupational health management portfolios in order to keep their employees healthy, productive and motivated.

The personal support of employees according to a new holistic mind-body & soul approach is one of our key factors and goes hand in hand with our blended learning concept. We combine digital and live formats to promote exercise, nutrition, stress prevention and mindfulness and make our knowledge available regardless of time and place. One of the ways we achieve this is by using the Mindance app for mental health.

#pmebewegt: funny videos and exciting online courses to join in!

We have developed #pmebewegt to incorporate more movement into everyday life: We use short, funny videos to show how more movement can be integrated into everyday life.

Our online classes take place live and are suitable for everyone: From a short, active break at your desk to sofa yoga, for which you don't even have to leave the couch, to an evening back-fit class, there is something for everyone.