Overview

• Eligibility requires a formally recognized degree of disability of at least GdB 50 on the pension start date and a minimum of 35 insurance years.
• For those born from 1964, the pension is available without deductions at 65 or as early as 62 with permanent reductions of 0.3% per month up to 10.8%, with voluntary payments possible to offset cuts.
• Earnings limits for early old‑age pensions were abolished on 1 January 2023, but income caps still apply to reduced‑earning‑capacity pensions.
• Applicants are advised to file roughly three months before the planned start; applying within three months of first meeting the conditions allows retroactive payment to the month’s start, and a later GdB downgrade does not end an approved pension.
• A GdB of 30 or 40 can justify Gleichstellung for workplace protections and tax allowances exist from GdB 20, but these do not grant access to the severe‑disability old‑age pension; alternatives include an Erwerbsminderungsrente based on work capacity.