Child Protection in Case of Parental Death: Comprehensive Guide for Families
18 Apr 2025
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
The thought of one's own death is difficult, but for parents, making provisions is essential. Learn how you can secure your children for emergencies, from financial support to custody arrangements. This way, you create security for the future of your loved ones.
The topic in brief and concise terms
A term life insurance with an adequate coverage amount (e.g., five times the annual gross salary) is fundamental to secure the financial future of your children in the event of death.
Ensure guardianship for minor children is arranged through a handwritten or notarized custody agreement to best serve the child's welfare.
The statutory orphan's pension (approximately 10% for half-orphans, 20% for full orphans of the deceased's pension) is often insufficient; private provision and a will are therefore essential.
Immediate measures: Key points to secure your children
A term life insurance is often the first building block. It fills financial gaps after a death. At least five years' gross salary is considered a guideline for the insured sum.
With a custody arrangement, you appoint a guardian. This person looks after your minor children. The family court significantly considers your wishes.
A will regulates the distribution of your assets. It can also complement or include the custody arrangement. Without a will, the statutory order of succession applies.
The state orphan's pension provides basic coverage. Half-orphans receive about ten percent of the deceased's pension. This amount is often insufficient for living expenses.
An emergency folder with all important documents helps survivors. It should contain contracts, arrangements, and powers of attorney. In an emergency, everything is quickly at hand.
These first steps form a solid foundation. In the following, we delve deeper into the individual aspects.
Ensuring Financial Stability: Term Life Insurance and Orphan's Pension
Term life insurance (RLV) is a central pillar. It secures the standard of living and education of your children. The sum insured should cover loans and ongoing costs for at least five years.
Designate your children as beneficiaries. For minors, a guardian can manage the money in trust. A clear regulation of the entitlement is crucial.
The statutory half-orphan's pension amounts to ten per cent of the deceased parent's old-age pension. The full orphan's pension is twenty per cent. These amounts usually cover only basic needs.
Determine your children's financial needs precisely. Consider education costs of several tens of thousands of euros. Daily living expenses also add up over the years.
In addition to the RLV, there are other types of provision. An education insurance can build targeted capital for studies or starting a career. These products often offer guaranteed benefits after 15 or more years.
A solid financial foundation is established. Now let's consider the legal arrangements.
Create legal certainty: regulate custody and will bindingly
A guardianship provision specifies who will become the guardian. It must be handwritten and signed. Alternatively, a notarial certification is possible, which can cost around 75 euros.
Choose the guardian carefully. Discuss this responsible task with the person. The family court examines the suitability of the appointed guardian.
A will regulates the succession and distribution of assets. It can also contain instructions regarding guardianship. Without a will, the statutory succession applies, in which children are first-order heirs.
For unmarried parents, a separate guardianship provision from each parent is necessary. For married couples, a joint document is sufficient. The provision of the last surviving parent applies in case of different nominations.
Review these documents every three to five years. Life circumstances and relationships can change. An adjustment ensures the current intention is secured.
After the practical measures, we now delve deeper into the expert details.
Leveraging expert knowledge: Nuances of inheritance law and tax optimisation
Without a will, the statutory order of succession applies. Children inherit in equal shares as first-order heirs. Spouses inherit alongside the children.
Even in the case of disinheritance, children have an entitlement to a compulsory portion. This amounts to half of the statutory share of inheritance. A complete disinheritance is only possible in extremely exceptional cases.
Inheritance tax offers high allowances for children. Per child and parent, four hundred thousand euros are tax-free. This allowance can be reused every ten years for donations.
Additionally, there are dependency allowances for children. These are age-dependent and can amount to up to 52,000 euros. [,-4,]
Our expert tip: Thoughtful lifetime gifts can significantly reduce the later inheritance tax burden. Consulting on this is often worthwhile.
However, there are also special situations and pitfalls to be aware of.
Keep your planning up to date: Long-term planning and regular adjustments
Dynamically adjust insurance amounts. With the birth of another child or salary increases, an increase is often necessary. Many policies offer guarantee options to increase coverage without a new health check.
The term of a term life insurance policy is crucial. It should last at least until the youngest child is 25 years old, so that their education is typically completed.
Also think about your own protection. An occupational disability insurance secures the family income if you can no longer work. This relieves the family during your lifetime.
Our expert tip: Plan a financial review every three to five years. An expert can help identify gaps and make improvements. As your life situation changes, so should your financial planning.
Comprehensive protection offers peace and security. Take control of your own financial planning.
Request your individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation checked free of charge and receive concrete improvement suggestions.
More useful links
The Deutsche Rentenversicherung offers comprehensive information about the orphan's pension in Germany.
Further details on pensions for survivors can be found on the pages of the Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
The application form package for the orphan's pension is provided by the Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
Frequent questions about the review of the orphan's pension are answered by the Deutsche Rentenversicherung in their FAQs.
The Statistical Office (Destatis) offers tables on infant mortality in Germany.
Information about deaths and life expectancy in Germany can be found at the Statistical Office (Destatis).
The Statistical Office (Destatis) provides data on causes of death in Germany.
FAQ
Benötige ich als verheiratetes Paar mit Kindern eine Risikolebensversicherung für beide Elternteile?
Ja, es ist oft sinnvoll, dass beide Elternteile eine Risikolebensversicherung abschließen, besonders wenn beide zum Familieneinkommen beitragen oder einer die Hauptverantwortung für Kinderbetreuung und Haushalt trägt, deren Ausfall ebenfalls hohe Kosten verursachen würde. Die Höhe kann individuell angepasst werden.
Kann ich meine Kinder direkt als Begünstigte in der Risikolebensversicherung einsetzen, auch wenn sie minderjährig sind?
Ja, das ist möglich. Es ist jedoch ratsam, für diesen Fall einen Vormund oder Treuhänder zu benennen, der die Versicherungssumme bis zur Volljährigkeit der Kinder verwaltet.
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen einer Sorgerechtsverfügung und einer Sorgerechtsvollmacht?
Die Sorgerechtsverfügung regelt die Vormundschaft für den Todesfall der Eltern. Die Sorgerechtsvollmacht hingegen greift, wenn Eltern zu Lebzeiten (z.B. durch Krankheit) nicht mehr in der Lage sind, das Sorgerecht auszuüben.
Wie oft sollte ich meine Vorsorgedokumente (Testament, Sorgerechtsverfügung) überprüfen?
Es wird empfohlen, diese Dokumente alle drei bis fünf Jahre oder bei wichtigen Lebensereignissen (z.B. Geburt eines weiteren Kindes, Scheidung, erhebliche Vermögensänderungen) zu überprüfen und gegebenenfalls anzupassen.
Was passiert, wenn der in der Sorgerechtsverfügung benannte Vormund die Aufgabe nicht übernehmen kann oder will?
Für diesen Fall ist es ratsam, in der Sorgerechtsverfügung auch einen Ersatzvormund zu benennen. Kann oder will auch dieser die Vormundschaft nicht antreten, entscheidet das Familiengericht.
Fällt auf die Auszahlung einer Risikolebensversicherung Erbschaftssteuer an?
Wenn die bezugsberechtigte Person nicht der Versicherungsnehmer ist, kann die ausgezahlte Summe der Erbschafts- oder Schenkungssteuer unterliegen. Es gelten jedoch Freibeträge (z.B. 400.000 Euro für Kinder). Eine geschickte Vertragsgestaltung kann helfen, Steuern zu minimieren.
