Overview

• 2025 is the final year anyone can start a statutory old-age pension before 62, limited to severely disabled insured persons (GdB at least 50) with 35 insurance years from late‑1962 and March–December 1963 births who reach the earliest ages of 61 years 8 months or 61 years 10 months in 2025.
• Early retirement permanently reduces benefits by 0.3% per month up to 14.4%, while the disability route allows up to two years without deductions and at the very earliest start caps cuts at 10.8%.
• For those born in 1964 or later the framework is fixed: standard retirement at 67, a deduction-free pension for particularly long insured at 65 after 45 years, early access from 63 with deductions, and for the disabled no start before 62.
• Beginning an early pension stops further contribution accrual and ends contribution-crediting benefits such as sick pay or unemployment benefits, which lowers the later pension beyond the formal deductions.
• For Bürgergeld recipients nearing retirement, switching to an early pension can increase monthly income when combined with work because earnings are not offset against the pension, though Bürgergeld ends and support may shift to Wohngeld or Hilfe zum Lebensunterhalt until the regular age.