Overview
- For those born in 1964 or later, an unreduced pension for severely disabled people will only start at 65 from 2026, early access from 62 carries a permanent 10.8% cut, and at least 35 insurance years are required.
- Months on unemployment benefit I in the final 24 months before an unreduced 45‑years pension do not count toward the 45 years, which advisors say can be mitigated by a contribution‑paying minijob; early pensions have no earnings limits since 2023.
- A regional court ruling (Az.: L 7 R 88/20) confirmed that lacking three years of compulsory contributions in the five years before disability can defeat an otherwise supported claim for an incapacity pension.
- In a separate case, a court accepted severe depression as grounds for a full but time‑limited incapacity pension, underscoring that independent psychiatric evidence can prevail but often only secures temporary benefits.
- Survivor pensions face statutory income offsets affecting millions, with reports noting hundreds of thousands lose on average about €208 per month, while extended crediting rules (Zurechnungszeiten) have recently lifted typical incapacity pensions by roughly €495 in representative calculations.