Early Access Sign-Up

With our early access, you can use all features completely free for the next few months! We gradually open more spots and activate matching features for you step by step.

Deutsch🇩🇪

Combining care and self-employment

Founding with Family Care

Easy read — 1 sections

April 22, 2026

Contents

Combining Care and Self-Employment flexibly

Around 5 million people in Germany care for relatives at home – often in addition to work or education (Federal Statistical Office). The double burden is great, yet it's clear: Self-employment can help to better combine care and work. It allows you to create freedoms that are often missing in traditional employment.

Self-employment can mean for you:

  • more flexible time management to combine care tasks with work
  • self-determined priorities
  • stress reduction, because no rigid working hours need to be adhered to

compatibility with your care responsibility is the greatest opportunity – and also a special challenge.

1. You are entitled to financial Relief

If you care for your relatives, you are entitled to various forms of support depending on the situation and care level:

  • Benefits under the Care Leave Act (PflegeZG) and Family Care Leave Act (FPfZG): enable release from work or reduction of employment with partial income compensation (Pflege.de).
  • Tax advantages: Care allowance and deductibility of expenses for care costs (Family Portal).
  • Care support benefit: Short-term wage replacement benefit in acute care situations for planning. (Care Advice).

Additionally, you are socially protected during your caring activity:

2. Use Advice and Networks

Support is crucial to balance care and self-employment:

Contact Points – Overview

Contact PointService
Federal Employment AgencyAccess to startup grant, entry allowance, AVGS coaching
Care Support CentersAdvice on care allowance, care leave, compatibility, access to forms and support
BMFSFJInformation on family care leave
BMG Federal Ministry of HealthCare support benefit, legal framework
IHK / HWKBusiness plan advice, expert opinion
Pflege.deInformation on all topics

3. The next Steps for your Path

StepDescription
1. Review starting positionClarify care tasks, entitlement to care allowance, ALG I/II or other benefits
2. Check funding opportunitiesCare support benefit, care leave regulations, startup funding
3. Create business planDevelop concept, consider compatibility of care and work
4. Secure expert opinionHave viability confirmed (IHK, HWK, possibly involve care support center)
5. Submit applications & startApply for grants, register self-employment, use networks

1. Review starting position

  • Inform yourself about your current care allowance from your care insurance fund.
  • Check whether you can combine social benefits (e.g. care allowance + startup grant).

2. Check funding opportunities

  • Use care support benefit in acute situations (BMG).
  • Inform yourself about care leave/family care leave at BMFSFJ.
  • Check entitlement to startup grant through the Employment Agency.

3. Create business plan

  • Develop a concept that considers your care situation (e.g. flexible work models).
  • Get support from the IHK or HWK.
  • If necessary, use AVGS coaching from the Employment Agency for free advice.

4. Secure expert Opinion

  • Have the viability of your venture confirmed by IHK, HWK or a startup coach.
  • Tip: Including your care responsibility in the business plan increases credibility and demonstrates planning competence.

5. Submit applications & start

Sources

  1. [1]Federal Statistical Office – PD24 478 224
  2. [2]Pflege.de – Familienpflegezeitgesetz
  3. [3]Family Portal – Wie Kann Man Die Pflege Von Angehoerigen Bei Der Steuer Absetzen 125218
  4. [4]Care Advice – Pflegeunterstuetzungsgeld
  5. [5]Federal Ministry of Health – Soziale Absicherung Fuer Pflegepersonen
  6. [6]Care Insurance Funds – Pflegegeld
  7. [7]Care Support Centers Germany – Pflegestuetzpunkte
  8. [8]Pflege.de – Pflegekasse Pflegefinanzierung
  9. [9]Further advice services – Beratungsangebote
  10. [10]IHK Startup Advice – Ihk.De
  11. [11]Federal Employment Agency – Aktivierungs Vermittlungsgutschein Avgs
  12. [12]Federal Employment Agency – Arbeitsagentur.De
  13. [13]Care Support Centers – Pflegestuetzpunkte-Deutschland.De
  14. [14]BMFSFJ – Bmfsfj.De
  15. [15]BMG Federal Ministry of Health – Bundesgesundheitsministerium.De
  16. [16]HWK – Hwk-Berlin.De
  17. [17]Employment Agency – Gruendung
  18. [18]HWK – Existenzgruendung Und Selbststaendigkeit 90,0,231
  19. [19]Caring Relatives e. V. – Pflegendeangehoerige.Info

Dive in

Find the complete guides, powerful finance tools and more in the app.