Entitlement to a basic pension?

Next stage in the review of pensions

Created: 01/12/2022, 02:56 PM

The basic pension was introduced on January 1, 2021.

For the full surcharge, the monthly income as a pensioner may be a maximum of 1,250 euros (single persons) or 1,950 euros (spouses or partners).

The taxable income, the tax-free part of the pension and investment income are checked.

© Felix Kästle / dpa

The basic pension started a year ago.

Due to the enormous effort involved in determining entitlement, not all pensions have been checked by a long way - but now the next stage is coming.

Around a year after the start of the basic pension *, the pension insurance will now examine a possible

for the majority of pensioners in Germany

.

In the new year, the review of the basic pension surcharge will gradually be initiated for all cohorts, said the President of the German Pension Insurance Association, Gundula Roßbach, of the German Press Agency in Berlin.

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Basic pension should amount to an average of 75 euros - there is a maximum of 418 euros

The 

.

For the full surcharge, the

may be a maximum of 1,250 euros (single persons) or 1,950 euros (spouses or partners).

.

The basic pension is aimed at low-wage earners who have worked for at least 33 years; the contribution must have been at least 30 percent of average earnings.

On average, the basic pension should be 75 euros.

There is a maximum of 418 euros.

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Since the middle of last year, the pension insurance has been checking all new retirees whether they are entitled to the basic pension supplement, according to Roßbach.

Actually, the claim has been in place since the beginning of last year.

However, the first beneficiaries only received the

more than six months after the official start .

Because of the due income checks, a data highway had to be built between the pension insurance and the tax authorities.

The pension insurance tells the tax offices who has worked long enough for a basic pension - they check the respective income.

The interaction with the tax offices in the income test worked "smoothly", assured Roßbach.

Next level of basic pension: All pensions before review

All followed with

and

, reported Roßbach. "And now the other existing pensioners follow - all those who have retired since 1992," said Roßbach. “We will start with the oldest cohorts and, in the new year, gradually initiate the review of the basic pension supplement for all cohorts.” A total

.

"The point mentioned in the coalition agreement, according to which in particular the examination effort for investment income should be considered again, only affects the next stage," explained Roßbach.

The SPD, Greens and FDP had announced: "In the course of the electoral period we will evaluate the effect of the basic pension, develop suggestions for improvement, in particular also with regard to the examination effort for investment income."

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Roßbach explained: “In the income check, it is particularly time-consuming to check those investment income that cannot be found in the income tax return.” The fully automated income check only takes into account income that is reported by the tax authorities as part of the taxable income.

A review of the investment income not included in taxable income is only planned from 2023.

"In this respect, we are open to a possible change in this point," said Roßbach.