Pension insurance - applying for an old-age pension

Entitlement to an old-age pension is based on age and the insurance periods completed as well as any existing certificate of severe disability.

The following old-age pensions can be applied for:

• Standard old-age pension
• Old-age pension for long-term insured persons
• Old-age pension for particularly long-term insured persons
• Old-age pension for severely disabled people

People born after 1964 can receive the standard old-age pension from the age of 67. This requires at least five years of contributions. These contribution years primarily include contribution periods. There are transitional provisions for people born before 1964. These allow an earlier pension start date.

Persons who have reached at least the age of 63 and have completed 35 years of insurance can receive the old-age pension for long-term insured persons. This includes all insurance periods. The old-age pension for long-term insured persons is generally paid with deductions.

The old-age pension for particularly long-term insured persons can be paid to people who have reached at least the age of 65 and have completed 45 years of contributions. This also primarily includes contribution periods. However, there may be exceptions. There are transitional provisions for people born before 1964. These allow an earlier pension start date.

People born after 1964 can receive the old-age pension for severely disabled people from the age of 62 if they have completed at least 35 years of insurance. In this case, all insurance periods count. There are transitional provisions for people born before 1964. These allow an earlier pension start date. The old-age pension for severely disabled people can also be granted early (no later than the age of 62). However, it is then paid with deductions. It is paid without deductions from the age of 65 at the latest.

Recommendation
Before you apply for your old-age pension, it is advisable to have a consultation with the  insurance office (opens in a new tab) of the Office for Social Affairs and Participation or with the German Pension Insurance. This consultation is also useful many years before you apply, for example to  clarify your accounts (opens in a new tab).