As of: January 29, 2024, 4:59 a.m
By: Mark Stoffers
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There will be some innovations and changes for pensioners in February.
The leap year has, among other things, effects on the payment of the pension.
Berlin – In February, pensioners in Germany will also have to prepare for changes that will affect their pension.
Among other things, the pension is not paid out at the usual time.
But retirees also have to reorient themselves when it comes to disability pensions, because only certain age groups now benefit from the statutory pension due to partial disability in the event of occupational disability.
Change for pensioners: The pension will be paid later in February
While pensioners will be concerned about some changes in the coming month, the main focus is on the later payment of pensions in February.
However, this circumstance is not due to a political decision, but rather has to do with the calendar, as 2024 is a leap year and February is known to have 29 days instead of 28.
This fact has an impact on the payment of the pension in February 2024. The payment date therefore falls on February 29th, a Thursday.
As pension consultant Peter Knöppel from
Rentenbescheid24.de
explains, this is the payday for these statutory pensions:
the pensions paid in arrears starting after April 2004 for the pension month of February 2024
the pensions paid in advance with retirement starting before April 2004 for the pension month March 2024
In addition to the pension payment date in February, the leap year affects, among other things, operating cost accounting, the assessment salary in the event of unemployment, previous employment in the event of a fixed-term contract, as well as loan agreements and interest calculation.
Important change for pensioners: Pension entitlement in the event of occupational disability will no longer apply from February
This year, the abolition of the disability pension under the old law is also getting closer.
The old occupational disability pension, which was changed to a disability pension in 2001, is also expiring for the last few years.
Anyone born before January 1, 1961 is still entitled to this form of pension.
However, in 2024, these last cohorts will slowly become entitled to an old-age pension, so that this will soon replace their occupational disability pension.
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There will be some new changes for pensioners in February.
Among other things, there are changes to the payment date of the pension and to the disability pension.
© IMAGO/Wolfgang Maria Weber
All later cohorts will receive a disability pension under the new law.
Change for pensioners: People who have been insured for a long time will retire in February without any deductions
The economist Werding recently called for restrictions on pensions at the age of 63. These should only enable low-income earners to receive the “pension-free pension”.
Regardless of the requirement, employees are also able to take early retirement in February without any deductions.
The possibility of early retirement does not only apply to a certain age group, but only to those who were born between January 2nd and February 1st, 1958 and have paid into the pension fund for at least 45 years.
In addition, there are also employees who retire early.
As pensioners, however, they have to expect deductions because they cannot have the minimum number of years of contributions for the pension.
For example, those born in January 1961 must expect a pension reduction of 12.6 percent.
Background information: After you have applied for early retirement, the earliest possible time to start your pension is at 63. However, prospective retirees have to plan for deductions of 14.4 percent for this step.
Further changes also for pensioners in February: additional payments for medication will change
For people who rely on medication, a cost factor will change in a positive way in February, which pensioners should also pay attention to.
From the beginning of the month, new rules apply to co-payments for prescriptions in the pharmacy.
So now you only pay depending on the size of the pack.
This means: if a large pack with the prescribed amount is not in stock and the pharmacy gives out several small packs instead, in order to achieve the quantity, the additional payment only has to be made once.
Pension package from Heil and new pension plan from Habeck: Further changes for pensioners in 2024?
Regardless of the changes for pensioners in February and the pension changes that came into force at the beginning of the year, there could also be further changes for pensioners in 2024.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck has, among other things, a plan for pensions in which he wants to pay pensioners more money.
On the other hand, Labor Minister Hubertus Heil has announced a pension package that could perhaps come into effect this year.
At least some good news, because only some pensioners can still hope for an inflation bonus in 2024 - but only under certain conditions.