If you live in a marriage or registered civil partnership, you can divide the pension rights among yourself. Pensioners can find everything they need to know about pension splitting here.
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Initial report: Hamburg – If one spouse is not to receive a large part of the pension, married couples have a so-called pension splitting. In this case, the total pension rights are divided among each other. This is also possible for registered civil partnerships. This is how pension splitting works for pensioners.
| Social security: | German Pension Insurance |
| Foundation: | 1 October 2005 |
| Insured: | 56.7 million (December 31, 2019) |
| Pensioner: | 21.2 million (1 July 2020) |
Dividing pensions among each other – this is how pension splitting works for pensioners
If married couples or consumers in registered civil partnerships wish to divide their pension among themselves, so-called pension splitting can be applied for. This means that both pensioners can receive the same parts of the pension. The one with the higher pension entitlements therefore gives part of this pension to his partner. This can be problematic for couples where one partner has not worked at all. For pension splitting, various conditions must be met – when does it make sense at all?
Pension splitting is possible if the marriage was contracted before 2002 and both spouses were born after 1 January 1962. Pension splitting is also possible if the marriage was contracted after 31 December 2001, the year of birth is then irrelevant. The next requirement is likely to be a hurdle for some couples: Both partners must each have 25 years of pension periods. This includes all periods that may affect pension entitlement and pension amount, i.e. the waiting period. Consumers can also buy retirement years.
Married couples and life partners can opt for a so-called pension splitting. © Sebastian Kahnert/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
Knowledge for pensioners: For whom is pension splitting worthwhile?
Pension splitting is only possible if there is an entitlement to a full retirement pension. For this, the standard retirement age must be reached. The partner must also have reached the standard retirement age. All regulations also apply to registered civil partnerships established after 1 January 2005. Pension splitting is possible even after the death of the partner. The surviving partner can then choose between pension splitting or receiving the widow's pension.
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When is it worthwhile to split pensions for surviving dependents according to the German Pension Insurance:
- If you already have your own pension and you have such a high income that a widow's pension would not be paid out.
- If a pension entitlement can be acquired through pension splitting and a widow's pension is not paid out due to too high an income.
- If the survivor establishes a new marriage or civil partnership. In this case, a decision can be made between an increase in the pension through pension splitting and a one-time pension settlement due to remarriage.
According to the German Pension Insurance, pension splitting for pensioners can be particularly worthwhile for surviving dependents who were able to collect fewer pension entitlements during their marriage or partnership. As a result of pension splitting, they automatically receive a higher pension entitlement, which, unlike the widow's pension, remains in place even after remarriage. It is important to note that pension splitting is mandatory. If couples decide to do so, no widow's pension can be applied for after the death of one.
