Despite rising overall wealth in Germany, more than a quarter of private households report having no savings at all, according to a recent survey. The Ipsos study, conducted for the direct bank ING, found that 27% of the 1,007 individuals polled stated they had no financial cushion.
This figure represents an increase from the previous year’s survey, which showed 23.5% of respondents with no savings. Simultaneously, the proportion of individuals actively saving decreased from 70.7% in 2024 to 63.7% in the December 2025 survey. This shift in savings rates comes as Germany’s economy navigates a period of inflation and economic uncertainty.
Insufficient Income and Rising Costs
Nearly half (46.7%) of those without savings cited insufficient income as the primary reason for their inability to save. Over one-fifth (22%) attributed their lack of savings to increased living expenses eroding any existing financial reserves.
Financial worries are also prevalent, with almost one in five (17.9%) of all respondents losing sleep over financial concerns. More than a third (36.5%) agreed with the statement, “Due to my financial situation, I feel like I will never have the things I want in life.”
Record Household Wealth Despite Individual Struggles
Despite the challenges faced by a significant portion of the population, overall household wealth in Germany reached a record high at the end of the third quarter of 2025, totaling €9.389 billion, according to data from the Bundesbank. DZ Bank estimated total wealth for the year at just over €10 trillion, and projected a further increase to €10.5 trillion for the current year.
Both the Bundesbank and DZ Bank’s assessments include cash, bank deposits, securities such as stocks and funds, and insurance claims, but exclude real estate holdings. This data provides a broad overview of financial assets held by German households.
Previous Bundesbank data indicates that this substantial wealth is unevenly distributed. Approximately half is held by the wealthiest 10% of the population – around four million households – who tend to invest more heavily in stocks and funds than lower-income households. Conversely, around 20 million households account for only 8% of the total financial assets, according to the Bundesbank.
