Overview
- Form point 9.7.2 asks whether the Deutsche Rentenversicherung should estimate up to the last three months of pay; saying yes speeds the first payment but can cement a lower pension if one-off payouts are missed.
- Advisers say a no is safer when bonuses, paid‑out leave or overtime are due, while a yes can help with steady salaries or recent switches to part‑time that would otherwise reduce the final figures.
- From 1 January 2027, the estimate becomes the default under an SGB VI change, with underestimates raised automatically once actual employer reports arrive and higher estimates left in place.
- A recent case reported from the Bundessozialgericht blocked a post‑hoc cut to a pension after an estimate proved higher than later wage reports, and a Schleswig‑Holstein ruling limited recoupment to amounts retirees actually retained after reimbursements.
- Timing still matters beyond calculations: the month the application starts fixes tax treatment, health‑insurance status and allowances, so late filing can cause irreversible losses despite retroactive pension backpay, and audits suggest many notices contain errors that merit review and appeal.