Administrative services A-Z

Forms: yes

Online procedure possible: yes

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: no

• Downloadable form package for child-raising pension
• Online application for a child-raising pension (without registration)
• Online application for the child-raising pension (with registration)
• Open cached online application

The child-raising pension supports you as a single parent if your divorced partner dies from a marriage or civil partnership. The pension thus serves as a maintenance substitute and allows more attention to be paid to the upbringing of the children.

The child-raising pension is a pension from your own pension account. The amount corresponds to the pension you would receive if you were fully incapacitated. Your annual pension information will state the amount used as a basis. If your pension begins before the relevant age limit, you will have to accept reductions that reduce your pension. For each month you retire earlier, the deduction is 0.3 percent, but no more than 10.8 percent in total.

If you receive the child-raising pension, you can earn additional income. However, it may be that your income will be credited if you exceed an allowance. The amount of this allowance is calculated individually.

You can also receive the child-raising pension if you decided as a couple to divide your pension rights (pension splitting).

You cannot receive a child-raising pension if you receive another, higher pension from the statutory pension insurance at the same time.

• Their marriage was dissolved, annulled or annulled after 30 June 1977, or

• if the marriage was dissolved before 1 July 1977, the maintenance claim was governed by GDR law,

• Your divorced partner has died,

• You are raising your own child or a child of your former partner who is not yet 18 years old.

  • The child can also be a stepchild, foster child, grandchild or sibling.
  • If you are raising a disabled child, it may also be older than 18 years.

• You have not remarried and have not registered a new civil partnership.

• You were covered by pension insurance for at least 5 years until the death of your divorced partner (general waiting period).

• You have not yet reached the standard retirement age. This is the date from which you can draw the regular old-age pension

Child-raising pension in case of pension split

Child-raising pensions can also be paid to widowed insured persons if the marriage or registered partnership still existed at the time of death. An additional prerequisite is that the spouses have carried out pension splitting.

• valid identity card or passport

• Evidence not included in the insurance history, such as:

  • Offsetting certificates
  • Proof of own training periods
  • Proof of own unemployment
  • Proof of own periods of illness

• Death certificate of the partner

• Marriage certificate/civil partnership certificate

• Proof of dissolution of marriage or registered partnership

• Information about your income

• last pension adjustment notification of the deceased or other pension documents

• If someone else makes the request:

  • Power of attorney or
  • Order of the Court of First Instance

none

You can apply for the child-raising pension in writing, in person or online.

Tip: Before you submit your application, you can seek advice from the German Pension Insurance.

Written pension application:

• Download the form package for the child-raising pension on the website of the German Pension Insurance. Complete the application for an insured person's pension and the forms mentioned therein and compile the necessary documents.
• You can submit your completed and signed application with the required documents either:
  • send by post to the German Pension Insurance or
  • at one of the local counselling centres.
• When your pension application has arrived, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
• The German Pension Insurance will check your application for completeness and, if necessary, request missing documents.
• The German Pension Insurance checks the requirements for your pension entitlement and the insurance history for completeness. If necessary, it clarifies gaps in the insurance history.
• The German Pension Insurance clarifies other issues, for example your health insurance relationship, whether you earn additional or receive another pension.
• If you are entitled to the child-raising pension, you will receive a pension notice with details of the start, the start of the current payment and the amount. Furthermore, you will be informed about your rights and obligations.
• If you are not entitled to the child-raising pension, you will receive a rejection notice stating the reason for the rejection.

Pension application via online procedure:

• Go to the online portal of the German Pension Insurance and register. You can use your signature card, your identity card with electronic proof of identity or your electronic residence title.
• Fill out the child-raising pension form and upload the necessary documents. You then submit your pension application online.
• When your pension application has arrived, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
• The German Pension Insurance will check your application for completeness and, if necessary, request missing documents.
• The German Pension Insurance checks the requirements for your pension entitlement and the insurance history for completeness. If necessary, it clarifies gaps in the insurance history.
• The German Pension Insurance clarifies other issues, for example your health insurance relationship, whether you earn additional or receive another pension.
• If you are entitled to the child-raising pension, you will receive a pension notice with details of the start, the start of the current payment and the amount. Furthermore, you will be informed about your rights and obligations.
• If you are not entitled to the child-raising pension, you will receive a rejection notice stating the reason for the rejection.

Personal request in the consultation:

• Compile the required documents and make an appointment at an information and advice centre of the German Pension Insurance.
• During the consultation, your application for a child-raising pension is usually recorded electronically and forwarded online.
• When your pension application has arrived, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
• The German Pension Insurance checks the application for completeness and, if necessary, requests missing documents.
• The German Pension Insurance checks the requirements for your pension entitlement and your insurance history for completeness. If necessary, it clarifies gaps in the insurance history.
• The German Pension Insurance clarifies other issues, for example your health insurance relationship, whether you earn additional money or receive an accident pension.
• If you are entitled to the child-raising pension, you will receive a pension notice with details of the start, the start of the current payment and the amount. Furthermore, you will be informed about your rights and obligations.
• If you are not entitled to the child-raising pension, you will receive a rejection notice stating the reason for the rejection.

The pension application can also be submitted for you by a person you trust. Please submit a corresponding power of attorney to the German Pension Insurance. As long as the power of attorney is valid, it is addressed exclusively to your authorized person.

Payment of child-raising pension

• Your pension starts on the first of the calendar month at the beginning of which you meet the conditions if you submit the application within three calendar months.
• If the application is submitted later, the pension will be paid to you from the month of application.

End of child-raising pension

• Your pension ends at the end of the month in which the conditions cease to apply. The requirements are omitted, for example, if you remarry, your child turns 18 or you reach the standard retirement age.

German Pension Insurance

• 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 (hotline): 0800 10004800 (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.

E-mail: drv@drv-bund.de
 

• 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

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

• Information on pensions for survivors on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information brochure on pensions for survivors on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on additional earnings for surviving dependents on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on survivors' pensions on the website of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
• Information brochure: Guide to pensions on the website of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs