Pensioners are entitled to 8 grants from the state.
Our overview shows what these are and how much money pensioners can save with them.
Update from January 17, 2023:
Did you know?
How retirees can take advantage of perks and discounts.
First report from December 26, 2022:
Hamburg - A quality of life that you would have deserved in view of decades of work: In Germany, not everyone can afford a relaxed retirement.
According to the federal government, around 9.3 million pensioners lived in poverty in 2019.
The current times could now sometimes demand a special degree of self-discipline and savings.
government institution: | federal government |
Founding: | September 15, 1949 |
Seat: | Berlin, Germany |
Chair: | Olaf Scholz (Federal Chancellor), Robert Habeck (Vice Chancellor) |
More money: Pensioners should know these eight grants in 2023 – hundreds of euros possible
What may still be unknown to the majority of them today: There is additional help from the state, nursing care and health insurance – and not just for the needy.
Extra allowances in old age: what are there and how pensioners get them.
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Pensioners should know eight grants in 2023 – hundreds of euros possible.
(symbol photo)
© Patrick Pleul/dpa (symbol image)
Housing allowance: Additional money for pensioners from the state
Inflation has Germany under control, has been for months and will continue to do so.
But what am I entitled to as a pensioner to absorb the additional costs that are accumulating?
A question that is particularly relevant in current times.
Entitlement to citizen's income, pension allowance or energy flat-rate: In addition to known subsidies, retired people are also entitled to receive further financial support.
Sometimes it comes from the state, sometimes from the health or nursing care insurance.
For example, the state is promising pensioners a subsidy in the form of housing benefit.
A relief that should secure the monthly rent or financing of your own house.
As
Focus Online
reports, beneficiaries are entitled to a twelve-month payout.
The housing benefit must be applied for in advance, after the end of the year, again.
Factors that determine the amount of the payout: income, monthly rent and rent level.
A measure that is particularly relevant in large cities: rental prices are rising - the notoriously expensive Hamburg can be cited here as a negative example of this development.
How much housing benefit is there for pensioners?
An answer to this question depends essentially on the gross pension.
According to information from the federal government, the average housing benefit in Germany is around 180 euros.
By the way, in just a few weeks there will be more than twice as much.
In 2023, the housing benefit will increase by around 190 euros.
Pensioners with care level: The care insurance fund supports you financially with house conversions
A measure that many pensioners inevitably have to take: in old age, the home has to be converted to make it age-appropriate.
Construction work for a stair lift and other measures to make the home barrier-free cost a lot of money.
The nursing care fund supports pensioners – in this case with funds of up to 4,000 euros.
The prerequisite: those affected must be assigned to a care level.
After a corresponding application and calculation of the costs, the money will be given.
As
Focus Online
reports, there is only one important thing for pensioners to consider: only convert once the conversion has been approved.
Deduct costs from taxes: All retirees have this right
Not all costs arising from medical interventions are covered by statutory health insurance.
Sometimes they are even absolutely necessary and yet pensioners are left with the costs - at least for the time being.
Any measures can be deducted from the tax.
According to reports from
Focus Online
, the measures include medical treatment, as well as costs for care, cures or funeral expenses.
Whether there is an extraordinary burden or special expenses that can be deducted: This is how retired people can save a lot of money.
You don't have to bear all expenses: Health insurance relieves pensioners
Costs for medication, rehabilitation or a walker - in short, for health measures where part of the costs remain with the patient, a defined load limit ensures that additional subsidies can also be claimed here.
Any expenses may not exceed the annual limit of two percent of gross income.
In the case of chronically ill people, the limit is already set at one percent.
Pensioners can then be exempted from additional costs.
In addition to all relevant receipts and receipts, proof of income must also be submitted to the health insurance company.
If approved, no additional costs will be incurred until the end of the year.
Discharge due to care level: How much money is due for the work of relatives
A level of care can even enable financial support from third parties.
Depending on the level of care, the nursing care fund provides a different breakdown of the monthly allowances: care level 2 receives EUR 316 per month, care level 3 receives EUR 545 per month, care level 4 receives EUR 728 and care level 5 even EUR 901.
All grants for pensioners at a glance:
- housing benefit
- Financial support for house conversion (for pensioners with care level)
- Deduct medical expenses from your taxes
- Co-payment exemption for pensioners
- care allowance for relatives
- Coverage of the costs of prescribed (care) aids
- pension allowance
- Energy flat rate
Wheelchair or walker: To what extent health and nursing care insurance will cover additional costs
Some costs for purchases that are prescribed by the doctor to pensioners are covered by health or nursing care insurance.
If the health insurance company sees no reason for financial support, pensioners can also contact the long-term care insurance company.
Pensioners in need can apply for money so that they can continue to afford their care in the future.
The long-term care insurance fund provides up to 40 euros per month to finance objects that are used every day.
These include, for example, diapers or pads - but emergency call systems or stair lifts can also be (partially) financed in this way.
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Basic security: Increased pension allowance makes up to 223 euros a month easy
If pensioners, despite legal tax tricks and claims for state and statutory subsidies, continue to face a mountain of high expenses, there is still basic security.
As with other grants, payment depends on individual factors.
Thanks to the standard rate for basic security, which was adjusted on January 1, 2021, pensioners receive an additional monthly benefit of up to 223 euros due to the pension allowance.
The social welfare office takes care of the matter.
It is therefore important to initiate a corresponding application in advance.
Energy flat rate: the state also transfers the 300 euros to pensioners
And then, last but not least, there is the energy flat rate.
300 euros, which should also end up in the accounts of German pensioners.
The payment is made automatically and is not related to the payment dates of the pension or its amount.
Since December 2022, many pensioners have already received the subsidy.
However, some accounts do not yet show an energy flat rate for retirees - you need to do that now.
List of rubrics: © Patrick Pleul/dpa (symbolic image)
