Germany's Generation X shows deepest pension anxiety in new surveys

A recent Axa‑Vorsorge report finds that Germany’s Generation X (ages 45‑61) is the most pessimistic about retirement. Nearly half (48 %) expect a decline in living standards after retirement, the highest share among all working‑age cohorts. About 46 % would like to retire early, while 40 % feel forced to keep working for financial reasons. Inflation worries 36 % of respondents, and 10 % anticipate a monthly pension shortfall of €1,500 or more.

A separate Forsa survey commissioned by fintech Smartbroker shows a sharp generational divide in attitudes toward the pension system. Almost 70 % of people under 30 feel strongly disadvantaged compared with older generations, while only 7 % of those over 60 share that view. Among those aged 50‑59, 79 % feel disadvantaged. Eight‑in‑ten participants rate past pension reforms as poor, and half of the younger respondents judge them very poorly. Smartbroker’s chairman Thomas Soltau calls the reform proposals of the pension commission a “major hit,” while stressing the need for further changes in occupational pensions.