Administrative services A-Z

Forms: yes

Online procedure possible: yes

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: no

• Application for insured person's pension at the German Pension Insurance for download
• Online application for insured person's pension without registration
• Online application for insured person's pension with signature card
• Online application for an insured person's pension with online identification function of the identity card or an electronic residence title
• Open cached online application for insured person's pension

With the "Pension for particularly long-term insured persons", you can, under certain conditions, receive a pension before reaching the retirement age.

If you were born before 1 January 1953, you can receive old-age pensions for particularly long-term insured persons from the age of 63. If you were born after 1 January 1953, the age limit increases by two months with each cohort. For example, if you were born on 1 January 1964, you can retire without deduction after 45 years of contributions as soon as you reach the age of 65.

Before you apply, you should clarify the insurance history in your retirement account. In this way, you can supplement any missing times and have an account clarified with the German Pension Insurance.

Note: You cannot claim the old-age pension for particularly long-term insured persons prematurely – not even with deductions.

You have the

• fulfils the minimum insurance period (qualifying period) of 45 years, and
• has reached the relevant age for you.

The waiting period of 45 years includes:

• periods of compulsory contributions for insured employment or activity,
• replacement times,
• compulsory contribution periods and crediting periods due to the receipt of compensation benefits from the employment promotion,
• periods of compulsory contributions and crediting periods due to the receipt of sickness benefits,
• compulsory contribution periods and crediting periods due to the receipt of transitional allowance,
• Consideration periods due to child-rearing and consideration periods due to care,
• periods of voluntary contributions, if there are at least 18 years of compulsory contribution periods for insured employment or activity,
• waiting months from surcharges on pay points for earnings from marginal insurance-exempt employment, and
• Waiting months from surcharges on pay points for remuneration from marginal employment for which employees are exempt from compulsory insurance.

The waiting period does not include:

• periods of receipt of compensation benefits from employment promotion in the last two years before retirement, unless the benefit is due to insolvency or a complete cessation of business by the employer,
• periods with voluntary contributions in the last two years before the start of the pension, if at the same time there is a crediting period due to unemployment,
• calendar months determined by pension equalisation or pension splitting, and
• Periods of receipt of unemployment benefit II and unemployment assistance.

If you were born before 1 January 1953, you can receive old-age pensions for particularly long-term insured persons from the age of 63. If you were born after 1 January 1953, the age limit increases by two months with each cohort. You cannot claim the old-age pension for particularly long-term insured persons prematurely – not even with deductions.
 

• Identity card or passport
• in the case of application by other persons:
  • Power of attorney or
  • Order of the Court of First Instance
     

none

You can apply for the old-age pension for particularly long-term insured persons in writing, in person or via online procedure.

Written pension application:

• Download the application form for the insured person's pension on the website of the German Pension Insurance. Fill out the form completely and compile the required documents.
• You can submit your completed and signed application with the required documents either:
  • send it by post to your pension insurance institution or
  • at one of the local counselling centres.

Pension application via online procedure:

• Go to the online portal of the German Pension Insurance. Log in there with your signature card, your identity card (if electronic proof of identity is activated) or your electronic residence title.
• Fill out the form and upload the necessary documents. You then submit your pension application online.

Personal application in the consultation:

• Compile the necessary documents for the application and make an appointment at an information and advice centre of the German Pension Insurance.
• During the consultation, your pension application is usually recorded electronically and forwarded online.

Note: You can also have your pension application submitted by someone you trust. Please submit a corresponding power of attorney to your pension insurance provider. As long as the power of attorney is valid, your pension insurance institution will only contact your authorised representative.
 

• Applying for a pension: until the end of the third calendar month following the end of the month in which you meet the eligibility conditions.
• Pension benefit: from the calendar month at the beginning of which you meet the conditions for entitlement to the pension.

Note: If you apply for the pension later, it will be paid from the calendar month in which you applied for the pension.
 

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

• § 38 Book VI of the Social Code (SGB VI)
• § 236b Book VI of the Social Code (SGB VI)

• Information on old-age pensions for particularly long-term insured persons on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on various old-age pensions on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on technical terms from pensions and rehabilitation on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on how to apply for your insured pension on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Package of application forms for pensions from own insurance on the website of the German Pension Insurance

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)