Unveiling the Hidden Income Gap for New Mothers in Germany

A groundbreaking study has revealed that the financial setbacks faced by women in Germany after having their first child are more severe than previously thought. The Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) collaborated with Tilburg University to unearth these discrepancies.

According to the study seen by Reuters, mothers earn on average nearly €30,000 less in the four years following childbirth than their peers without children. This figure exceeds earlier estimates, which stood at around €20,000.

The research also highlights how these financial losses vary depending on maternal age. Women who give birth before the age of 30 face additional challenges in missing formative career milestones, while those who delay motherhood have already capitalized on career growth but still suffer from reduced income post-childbirth.