One thing is certain: the state pension is no longer able to secure a proper standard of living in old age. Fewer and fewer contributors have to pay for more and more pensioners. Pension levels will continue to fall over the coming years. Anyone who relies exclusively on the statutory pension has to make considerable cutbacks in retirement. This is because the statutory pension is significantly lower than the last net wage - there is a pension gap. In order to secure a comparable standard of living in retirement, there is no alternative to supplementing the state old-age provision.