Overview

• Under current law, insured persons with at least 35 years can retire from 63 with a permanent 0.3% cut per early month, capped at 14.4% for a four‑year advance.
• The deduction‑free path for 45 insurance years continues but its start age has risen with the statutory age, reaching 65 for cohorts born 1964 and later as regular retirement moves to 67.
• Official planning tools include the Deutsche Rentenversicherung’s Rentenbeginnrechner for earliest and regular start dates and deductions, plus account reconciliation and counseling to close gaps.
• Financial levers include voluntary buy‑ins from age 50 to offset cuts, unlimited earnings alongside an early pension since 2023, and reliefs such as the €187.25 monthly health‑insurance Freibetrag on company pensions, expanded Wohngeld Plus, and a protection against Jobcenters pushing early retirement through 2026.
• Policy proposals to lift early‑retirement deductions to about 5–6% per year and a planned Aktivrente with up to €2,000 a month tax‑free from 2026 are under discussion, with no enacted law and key details still pending.