The basic pension is intended to help millions of pensioners in Germany.
However, love can prevent the basic pension from being paid.
Update from February 10, 2023:
Women have often taken care of raising children – and not paid into the pension fund.
This creates challenges as a pensioner - how much a housewife's pension is.
First report:
Hamburg/Berlin – The basic pension is intended to support consumers in Germany who have worked for over 35 years but have earned little.
According to the federal government, around 1.3 million pensioners should benefit from the basic pension.
Marriage can prevent the basic pension - what pensioners should pay attention to.
Pensioner: | A person who is no longer or mostly no longer employed and earns his living from a pension |
Pension: | Statutory or private insurance benefit |
Demarcation of private individuals: | Living off their savings |
Delimitation pensioner: | Receive a pension instead of a pension, i.e. a mostly state pension benefit that is not based on previously paid contributions, but on service-related pension entitlements |
How marriage can prevent the basic pension
The basic pension can be obtained by anyone who has at least 35 years of basic pension records.
A minimum income limit must be reached.
Around 1079 euros gross must have been earned monthly over the entire decisive period - as of 2023. There is no surcharge if an average of more than 2876 euros gross was earned.
The basic pension is also not paid at all or only partially if pensioners earn something with a job.
Meanwhile, TV presenter Thomas Gottschalk receives a three-digit pension.
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1.3 million pensioners are entitled to a basic pension – but marriage can prevent this.
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Anyone earning an additional EUR 1,250 in addition to their pension as a single person does not receive a basic pension.
For married couples, this value is 1950 euros.
This income allowance includes salary, pension and rental income.
60 percent of the income above the tax-free allowance is offset against the basic pension.
If you earn more than 1600 as a single person or more than 2300 when you are married, 100 percent of your income will be taken into account.
These contributions count towards basic pension periods:
Compulsory contributions from employment or self-employment
Compulsory contribution times for child rearing and care
Period of sickness or rehabilitation benefits
Times due to child rearing and care
Married couples should therefore make sure that their joint income does not exceed this income allowance - at least if they want to receive a basic pension.
If couples live together but are not married, the income is calculated for each individual.
It is therefore irrelevant for the basic pension how much the partner earns.
However, if the couple marries, the spouses are considered together.
The income allowance is not twice as high as for single people - the basic pension could be prevented as a result.
Increase income with the basic pension – that’s how it still works
According to estimates by the German pension insurance, the basic pension is only an average of 75 euros per month.
However, up to 419 euros should be possible in individual cases.
The basic pension should be given to consumers in Germany who were insured through the pension fund for many years but did not have a high income.
This is often the case when children have been brought up or relatives have been cared for.
In many cases, however, the old-age pension is then increased.
If a relative was cared for at home, this increases the pension.
If a former spouse dies, a child-raising pension can be applied for to compensate for missing maintenance payments.
In addition, retirees can apply for a variety of grants.
Among other things, there is a subsidy for health insurance.
The basic pension can also be received by people in Germany who cannot show 35 years of basic pension periods.
If you are at least 33 years old, you will receive a small top-up.
This increases continuously in the months leading up to the basic pension.
Rubric list image: © WavebreakmediaMicro/Imago Images
