Overview

• Deutsche Rentenversicherung will fold the Erwerbsminderungs‑Zuschlag into core pensions from December 1, 2025 and recalculate all affected cases as of November 30, issuing new notices, paying a 17‑month lump sum where the new amount is higher, and seeking no repayments where it is lower.
• With the integration, the top‑up counts as regular income for survivors’ pensions from December 2025, potentially reducing entitlements, and recipients should check recalculation notices promptly because appeal windows are only one month.
• ALG I claimants close to pension age remain obliged to apply for jobs and cooperate with placement measures until the month after reaching the statutory retirement age, with duties set in an adjustable Eingliederungsvereinbarung and health exceptions via the Nahtlosigkeitsregelung that trigger a rehabilitation check.
• Self‑caused unemployment can bring a 12‑week ALG I Sperrzeit and, for those with up to 24 months of entitlement, a sanctions period of up to six months under §148 SGB III, which can be avoided only with a documented important reason; those facing a block are advised to apply for Bürgergeld to bridge the gap.
• Early retirement options remain cohort‑specific for those with 35 or 45 insurance years, and applicants pursuing the route for severely disabled persons (GdB ≥50) should flag pending disability procedures in their pension application to enable a later switch; separately, the 2025 Altersentlastungsbetrag tops out at €627 for active income, as Aktivrente details and fiscal costs (around €0.9–1.0 billion a year) are still being finalized.