As of: February 19, 2024, 1:30 p.m
By: Lars-Eric Nievelstein
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More and more pensioners are working to avoid falling into poverty in old age.
Concern about poverty in old age is also growing among the working population.
With the pension card there is a chance of significant discounts in many places.
Berlin – “Politicians must act now.
It would be fatal if another legislative period were to pass without reform of private pension provision.”
These were urgent words that Thomas Richter, managing director of the BVI fund association, addressed to politicians.
He told the pension portal
ihr-sorge.de
that a pension reform was necessary – for all forms of pension provision.
With the pension card, seniors can reduce their financial burden even without such a reform.
What does that look like in detail?
The pension certificate at a glance
The pension card comes in credit card format and allows seniors to prove their status as a pension recipient.
Since July 2020, seniors have received their ID card with the welcome letter sent by the pension service.
It also contains the number symbol for the pension and the responsible pension insurance provider.
A senior couple looks out of an airplane window.
With the pension card there is a chance of significant discounts in many places.
© IMAGO / mm images
With this ID card, seniors have a variety of options for a variety of discounts throughout Germany.
Importantly, the definition of who is considered a pensioner is not the same everywhere.
It is therefore always necessary to carefully check which conditions are linked to the discounts.
This saves seniors the discussion when paying.
This means pensioners can be exempt from broadcasting fees
This starts with the broadcasting fees.
Pensioners who do not have a lot of money at their disposal and need to rely on basic security can be exempted from paying GEZ contributions.
To do this, you must submit certain documents.
This includes, for example, a valid approval notice for basic security, assistance with living expenses or benefits from the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.
Both the notice and the completed form must later be available in the original and as a certified copy.
In addition, accommodation in a retirement home can mean that pensioners are exempt from paying broadcasting fees.
Discount on sports and learning offers
Seniors benefit from discounted tickets for sports club stadiums at various points.
Many football clubs offer cheaper tickets with the pension card.
Some clubs also sell season tickets at a reduced price.
In the Allianz Arena, for example, there is a 50 percent discount for seniors if they are over 65 years old.
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If you instead want to acquire new skills in retirement and use the adult education centers to do so, you can also hope for discounts.
So-called senior adult education centers have tailored their offerings specifically to the needs of pensioners.
They offer courses at discounted prices and more convenient times.
Pensioners travel cheaper
For all types of travel, the pension certificate can bring significant cost savings.
Flight operators have special offers for “best agers”, i.e. people of retirement age, and many travel agencies offer discounted holidays.
The
Seniors' Needs
portal warns: Before booking, pensioners should check carefully whether taking advantage of pension discounts will affect other price reductions.
This can affect, for example, the early bird discount.
With the 49-euro ticket, Deutsche Bahn had made local rail transport more customer-friendly, and there are special additional offers for seniors.
This is what happens with the BahnCard: People aged 65 and over can get the BahnCard 25 (second class) for 40.90 euros (instead of 62.90 euros).
For the first class variant, seniors pay 81.90 euros instead of the usually estimated 125 euros.
And with the “Super Saver Price for Seniors” the age group over 65 travels within Germany from 15.90 euros.
Children up to 14 years of age travel free of charge when accompanied.
Go to the cinema with your pension card
The same applies to cinema, theater and similar cultural offerings as to football clubs: with your pension card you can get discounted tickets in many cinemas.
How important it is to present ID is shown, for example, by the corresponding clause at Munich's Matthäser Filmpalast: "Discounts can be granted upon prior presentation of appropriate ID."
City tours, museums, festivals: There is a large selection of these offers in Germany, so it is always worth taking a look at the small print for seniors.