In light of rising costs within the care sector, Vice Chairman of the CDU parliamentary group, Albert Stegemann, is demanding that adult children contribute more to the expenses of their parents who require care. Stegemann told the “Neuen Osnabrücker Zeitung” that he sees an opportunity to lower the income threshold-the point at which children are required to financially support their parents’ care-and criticized the current system. Currently, under the familial relief act introduced in 2020, children are only required to participate in the accommodation costs of their parents if their annual income exceeds 100,000 euros. The politician previously described this benchmark as “more or less arbitrary”.
He warned that if no political action is taken, the care system faces a massive increase in costs. Stegemann stated that without changes, contributions will rise from 3.6 percent to 4.6 percent by 2030, potentially reaching 5.5 percent for individuals without children.
Stegemann’s criticism recently drew significant attention, particularly concerning what he called an “inheritance protection scheme at the expense of the public”. He is now following up on his remarks regarding properties being transferred to the next generation before a care crisis arises. He noted that asset situations are often arranged so that parents distribute their wealth in advance. “By adhering to the 10-year deadlines, one effectively secures the inheritance” he remarked. While he did not want to blame individuals, he noted that this is an established practice. The CDU politician demanded that legislative action be taken against these loopholes, whether involving a family home or other assets.
