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Germany to End Cash Pension Payouts in 2026 as Bank Details Are Due in December

Officials urge remaining recipients to secure banking arrangements to prevent a temporary halt to January disbursements.

Overview

  • A DRV notice confirms the ZzV cash payout method will cease with the January 2026 cycle, with pensions paid only by bank transfer.
  • Those who fail to provide account details by December 2025 face a temporary suspension from January, with all accrued amounts paid once a valid account is on file.
  • About 3,300 people still used ZzV in September, and the Rentenservice sent letters in July and October to alert them to the change.
  • People without accounts can open a legally guaranteed basic account or have payments sent to a trusted person’s account at no charge; similar rules apply to Bürgergeld and other benefits.
  • Postbank’s technical migration could cause earlier cashing issues in some branches, though the bank says ZzV can still be cashed within 30 days at unaffected counters and then deposited like a check for up to three months.