💶 Wegweiser Debtors & Private Insolvency

Payment order (Mahnbescheid), wage garnishment (Pfändung), protected account (P-Konto), consumer insolvency and discharge of residual debt (Restschuldbefreiung): clear answers and the most important deadlines.

Legal position: September 2026. The garnishment exemption limits apply in the version valid from 1 July 2026 (until 30 June 2027). The assignment period for discharge of residual debt (Restschuldbefreiung) is 3 years (§ 287 InsO). No announced but unenacted reforms were found in the sources checked; this is not a guarantee. Sources and open points: Sources and limits. Information, not legal advice.

Frequently searched

🧭 Overview: debt and ways out 📬 Payment order and enforcement order 🏦 Protected account (P-Konto) 🪜 Consumer insolvency and discharge of residual debt 💼 Wage garnishment and exemption limits 🤝 Advice and points of contact

All topic areas

🧭First stepsOverview and debt counselling as a starting point.2 topics 📬Claims and payment order procedurePayment order (Mahnbescheid), enforcement order (Vollstreckungsbescheid) and limitation periods.2 topics 🔒Garnishment and enforcementWage garnishment, protected account (P-Konto), bailiff and asset disclosure.3 topics 🪜Getting out of debtSettlement with creditors, consumer insolvency, discharge of residual debt and costs.4 topics 🏠Special situationsHousing, self-employment and Schufa.3 topics 🤝HelpAdvice and points of contact.1 topic

🧭 First steps

Overview and debt counselling as a starting point.

🧭Overview: debt and ways outThe stages of debt: reminder, garnishment, settlement or consumer insolvency with discharge of residual debt after 3 years. 🗂️Debt counselling: the first stepWhat debt counselling does, what to bring with you and why it is needed for consumer insolvency.

📬 Claims and payment order procedure

Payment order (Mahnbescheid), enforcement order (Vollstreckungsbescheid) and limitation periods.

📬Payment order and enforcement orderWhich two weeks you have for objection and appeal, and what happens if you do nothing. ⏳Limitation of debtsStandard period 3 years, 30 years for titles: when debts become time-barred and what that means.

🔒 Garnishment and enforcement

Wage garnishment, protected account (P-Konto), bailiff and asset disclosure.

💼Wage garnishment and exemption limitsHow much of your income has been exempt from garnishment since 1 July 2026: basic exemption of €1,587.40 and supplements for maintenance. 🏦Protected account (P-Konto)How the P-Konto protects a basic amount per month from garnishment and what you need to know. ⚖️Bailiff and asset disclosureWhen the bailiff may demand information about your assets and what you have to disclose.

🪜 Getting out of debt

Settlement with creditors, consumer insolvency, discharge of residual debt and costs.

🤝Out-of-court settlement with creditorsTrying to reach a settlement with your creditors is a precondition for consumer insolvency. 🪜Consumer insolvency and discharge of residual debtHow the procedure works, which requirements apply and why discharge of residual debt is usually possible after 3 years. 📋Good-conduct period and trusteeYour duties during the assignment period: look for work, report inheritances and changes of address, pay only to the trustee. 🧾Procedure costs and deferralIf you cannot pay the procedure costs, the court can defer them (§ 4a InsO).

🏠 Special situations

Housing, self-employment and Schufa.

🏠Housing and rent arrearsWhen a landlord may terminate without notice over rent arrears, and how the two-month grace period can make the termination ineffective. 🧰Debt among the self-employedWhich special rules apply if you are or were self-employed: type of procedure and payment duty to the trustee. 📊Schufa and credit reporting agenciesHow long payment defaults and discharge of residual debt are stored by credit reporting agencies.

🤝 Help

Advice and points of contact.

🤝Advice and points of contactWhere to find debt counselling across Germany and what advice costs.

For reference

📕Keyword indexAll terms from A to Z, with links to the matching topic pages. 📜Sources and methodWhere the information comes from and what is expressly uncertain. 🏠Other target groupsTo the overview of all Wegweiser portals.

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