Leistungen A-Z

Forms: yes

Online procedure possible: yes

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: no

• Application for account clarification of your pension insurance account for download
• Application for account clarification of your pension insurance account online and with registration
• Application for account clarification of your pension insurance account online and without registration

When clarifying the pension insurance account, your contribution periods are assigned table values that correspond to what comparable insured persons in Germany have earned on average.

In this way, not only your contribution and employment periods can be credited to your pension insurance account, but also, for example, crediting periods completed in your country of origin.

In the case of contribution periods from 1950 onwards, the table values distinguish between qualification groups and economic sectors in order to determine your income as realistically as possible. The values are then usually reduced to 60 percent of the full value. This is primarily intended to adapt to insured persons who live in structurally weak areas and have earned significantly lower earnings.

If you joined after 7 May 1996, the benefits may not exceed a certain limit:

The maximum permissible value is 25 remuneration points per beneficiary. This currently corresponds to a monthly gross old-age pension of EUR 826.25 in the old federal states and EUR 797.25 in the new federal states.

If you are married or live in a marriage-like union, you will jointly receive pensions totalling a maximum of 40 pay points for your periods under the Foreign Pensions Act. This currently corresponds to a gross old-age pension of EUR 1,322.00 per month in the old federal states and EUR 1275.60 in the new federal states. If you move, the amount of your monthly pension may change.
 

• They belong to the group of expellees or are ethnic German repatriates.

For the recognition of contribution and crediting periods, all documents showing the nature and duration of employment or their corresponding interruption are helpful. These are primarily the original insurance documents, for example:

• Workbooks
• insurance books,
• legitimation books,
• employers' certificates and
• Testimonies.

In addition, for the recognition of:

• child-raising periods and child-taking periods: children's birth certificates,
• pension period: the pension notice or a pension certificate,
• Periods of military or alternative service: Military service certificate.

The following serves as proof of status as a Spätaussiedler:

• the certificate of ethnic German repatriation or
• the displaced person's card.

Note: On the basis of the documents submitted, the pension insurance institution decides on a case-by-case basis whether a contribution period has been credibly demonstrated or even proven. There must be no doubt as to the accuracy of the alleged fact for proof. If the contribution periods are only credibly demonstrated, only five-sixths of the values determined in accordance with the previous explanations can be taken into account.
 

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You can apply for clarification of your retirement account online without registration, online with registration or in writing.

Apply for clarification of your retirement account online and without registration:

• Go to the website of the German Pension Insurance and click on "Online Services".
• Select "Online services without registration" from the drop-down menu and click on "Submit Requests".
• On the homepage of the application wizard under "My request concerns..." select "the insurance account".
• On the next page, select "My insurance account has not yet been clarified (first-time account clarification)".
• You will be supported electronically in completing the form and you will be shown explanations and notes.
• Depending on the answers you give, you will be notified of additional questions to be answered or forms to be completed. If necessary, attach supporting documents in accordance with the instructions.
• Send these documents to your pension insurance institution. The uploading of documents and electronic transmission are currently not possible, so the documents must be sent by post.
• At the end of the account clarification, you will receive a notification of assessment from your pension insurance provider. It lists all the times recorded for you.

Apply for clarification of your retirement account online and with registration:

• Go to the website of the German Pension Insurance and click on "Online Services".
• Select "Online services with registration" from the drop-down menu. Now register either:
  • with your identity card (eID) or your residence permit (eAT) with activated online ID function or
  • your electronic signature card.
• After you have registered, click on "Submit applications".
• On the homepage of the application wizard under "My request concerns..." select "the insurance account".
• On the next page, select "My insurance account has not yet been clarified (first-time account clarification)".
• You will be assisted electronically in completing the account clarification application and you will be shown explanations and instructions
• Depending on the answers you give, you will be notified of additional questions to be answered or forms to be completed. If necessary, attach supporting documents in accordance with the instructions.
• Send these documents to your pension insurance institution. The uploading of documents and electronic transmission are currently not possible, so the documents must be sent by post.
• At the end of the account clarification, you will receive a notification of assessment from your pension insurance provider. It lists all the times recorded for you.

Request clarification of your retirement account in writing:

• In view of the complicated legal matter, you should apply for account clarification directly at one of the information and advice centres of the German Pension Insurance.
• Compile the required documents for the application and make an appointment.
• During the consultation, your application for account clarification will usually be recorded electronically and forwarded online.
• After examining your application, you will receive a separate notification of the recognition of insurance periods.

Note: The declaratory decision determines recognized times according to the current legal situation. If the legislature changes the legal basis before the actual start of pension payments, this may mean that decisions must be adapted to the new legal basis.
 

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Note: In order to avoid delays at a later date, for example when applying for a pension, you should submit a corresponding application after receiving the certificate of ethnic German repatriation. This also makes it easier for you to obtain evidence.
 

Your competent pension insurance institution

• Addresses and service numbers of the competent institutions of the German pension insurance

You can find the pension insurance institution responsible for you via the information and advice centre finder of the German Pension Insurance.

Phone: 0800 1000-4800 (Toll-Free)
Service hours
Monday to Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• Information and advice centre finder of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on the service telephone for deaf and hearing-impaired people on the website of the German Pension Insurance

• § 149 Sixth Book of the Social Code (SGB VI)

• Information on pension matters in the brochure "Aussiedler und ihre Rente" on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on the certificate of ethnic German repatriation on the website of the Federal Office of Administration

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)