Many employees do not want to retire after reaching retirement age.
But what happens if you simply don't apply for a pension?
Hamburg – Anyone who has reached the statutory retirement age of 65 in 2023 can retire.
However, many consumers would like to work longer – for example to increase their future pension.
Can you simply continue working without filing an application for a pension?
Social insurance: | German pension insurance |
Founding: | October 1, 2005 |
Insured: | 56.7 million (December 31, 2019) |
Pensioner: | 21.2M (July 1, 2020) |
Not applying for a pension despite reaching retirement age?
Anyone who has not paid into the pension fund long enough or feels too fit for retirement often wants to continue working at the age of 65.
This often increases income significantly – before and when you receive your pension.
Because: Those who work longer pay longer into the German pension insurance.
If you want to continue working despite or alongside receiving your pension, you should consider contractual arrangements with your employer.
There is often an age exit clause, as reported by 24hamburg.de.
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You can continue working instead of receiving your pension – this happens if you don’t apply for a pension.
© Christian Charisius/dpa (symbol image)
Does a pension application have to be submitted at all, regardless of the employer, once the statutory retirement age of 65 has been reached?
no
Nobody is obliged to apply for a pension.
Once the contractual matters have been clarified with the employer, you can simply continue working – a pension will then not be paid out.
How does this behavior affect the pension entitlement?
What are the effects of continuing to work on social security?
This is the effect of not submitting a pension application
Consumers who do not want to draw a pension despite reaching retirement age are still subject to compulsory insurance in the pension insurance.
According to Section 5 Paragraph 4 No. 3 of Book VI of the Social Insurance Code, there are a few exceptions that exempt people from compulsory insurance.
In health and long-term care insurance, there is also an obligation to take out insurance.
Only in the case of unemployment insurance is there an exemption from insurance once the standard retirement age has been reached.
Consumers who have never had pension insurance are exempt from German pension insurance.
If you don't want to receive a pension yet and want to continue working instead, you should find out about the framework conditions at an early stage.
The pension must be applied for no later than three months after reaching retirement age in order to receive it retrospectively.
Continuing to work alongside retirement can also be worthwhile.
This form is particularly attractive for early retirees because the additional earnings limit has been abolished since 2023.
However, the basic rule is that there is no pension without an application for a pension.
List of rubrics: © Christian Charisius/dpa (symbolic image)
