Status: 26.12.2023, 19:45 PM
By: Patrick Mayer
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After turbulent weeks of the traffic light coalition, the Senior Citizens' Union of CDU and CSU is going on the offensive on the subject of pensions and proposing tax-free wages for working pensioners.
Berlin - Due to the chaos of the traffic light coalition in the 2024 federal budget, the topic of pensions has come back into focus. In the meantime, the federal government of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP is said to have even discussed whether savings in pensions might be possible with an immense budget hole of 60 billion euros temporarily.
Working pensioners: Group of CDU and CSU calls for tax-free earnings for senior citizens
However, this idea was then discarded again, probably also in order not to alienate and annoy millions of (potential) voters in one fell swoop. Nevertheless, the debate about pensions continues, sometimes heated, with a short interruption between Christmas and New Year. Above all, the so-called retirement at 63 is the impetus for discussions, while the CDU would raise the retirement age in general according to a policy program.
At a time when even the survivor's pension for widowers and widowers is being called into question, the Senior Citizens' Union of CDU and CSU has now dared to make a different advance. The lobby group of the sister parties for senior citizens is calling for tax-free earnings and wages for working pensioners just in time for Christmas.
A senior citizen works in an electronics workshop in Nuremberg. (Symbolic photo) © IMAGO / Future Image
"We think that working in old age must be particularly worthwhile," said Fred-Holger Ludwig, chairman of the CDU's Senior Citizens' Union, to the German Press Agency (dpa): "Anyone who wants to continue working after retirement should be able to work as much as they want – but tax-free."
Work at retirement age: CDU seniors propose tax-free wages and remuneration as an incentive
Everyone who retires "has earned their retirement after all these decades of paying into the coffers," said Ludwig. However, there are many senior citizens in Germany who want to continue working and achieve something even after retirement. However, many pensioners are deterred by the bureaucracy, for example the obligation to submit an annual tax return, he told the dpa and demanded: "Those who want to work in old age should be allowed to do so - without harassment by the authorities."
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Anyone who wants to work in old age should be allowed to do so – without harassment by the authorities.
Fred-Holger Ludwig, Chairman of the Senior Citizens' Union of the CDU
What is known is that more and more pensioners in Germany are working even though they have passed the regular retirement age. According to the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), this emerges from the Federal Ministry of Labour's answers to parliamentary questions from the Left Party. As of September, 1,123,000 employees in Germany were over 67 years of age. That was 56,105 more officially working senior citizens than in the same month of the previous year.
Pensioners in Germany: More and more seniors are working - many need basic income support
According to the report, around a quarter of the jobs were subject to social security contributions, with the majority being in the so-called 520-euro jobs. High energy prices, inflation, increased cost of living - in the first quarter of 2023, around 680,000 pensioners in Germany were again dependent on the so-called basic security. And thus more than ever before, the Funke media group recently reported, citing the Federal Statistical Office. (pm)