Overview

• From 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, the monthly exemption for survivor pensions is €1,076.86 net, increased by €228.42 for each child entitled to an orphan’s pension.
• From 1 December 2025, the disability pension Rentenzuschlag will be folded into recipients’ own pensions and counted as income, which can reduce survivor benefits for those with their own pension.
• Deutsche Rentenversicherung converts all income types to a typified net and deducts 40 percent of the amount exceeding the exemption from the survivor pension.
• For the Sterbevierteljahr, the deceased’s full pension is paid for the three calendar months after the month of death and the survivor’s income is not credited.
• The benefit is not automatic and must be claimed with form R 0500 along with marriage, death and income documents, and eligibility generally requires a one‑year marriage and five years of contributions by the deceased.