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Germany Forecasts Larger 2026 Pension Increase as December Payment Rules Change and Aktivrente Advances

Critics question who benefits from the planned tax break for working retirees.

Overview

  • The cabinet received a report projecting roughly 3.73% higher pensions from July 2026, with a healthier cash position and contribution rates expected to stay unchanged until 2027.
  • From December 2025, the pension insurer recalculates the disability‑pension top‑up on personal earnings points, folds it into the regular payment, and will automatically pay any difference, including possible 17‑month backpayments.
  • The Deutsche Rentenversicherung says there will be no massive cuts, and any December backpay is likely small; separate monthly top‑up transfers end.
  • Cash disbursements stop in December 2025, so future payments require a bank account rather than Postbank cashing services.
  • The government’s Aktivrente draft targets January 1, 2026, allowing up to €2,000 a month in tax‑free wages for employees past statutory pension age while excluding the self‑employed, minijobbers, and many early retirees; social groups warn of unequal benefits and possible job displacement, and 2026 tax changes could lift net income for many severely disabled retirees.