Overview
- Coverage on Sept. 20, 2026 reiterates that there is no special ‘‘end‑spurt’’ bonus but the final five years are decisive because actions then can close contribution gaps, offset early‑retirement deductions or secure special pension types.
- The pension formula uses entgeltpunkte, an access factor, the current pension value and a pension‑type factor, with one entgeltpunkt worth €42.52 per month as of July 2026.
- The contribution rate in 2026 is 18.6 percent of liable gross pay, split equally between employee and employer at 9.3 percent each, and employer shares must be counted when comparing contributions with later payouts.
- Key tactical levers in the run‑up to retirement include voluntary contributions and Nachzahlungen, choosing employment that avoids ALG‑I in the last 24 months for the 45‑year abschlagsfreie Rente, and meeting the KVdR 9/10 rule for cheaper health cover in retirement.
- Simple 2026 example math shows one full contribution year yielding about €510.24 gross annually from one entgeltpunkt and implies a nominal payback of roughly 9.5 years for the employee share and 18.9 years when including the employer share under simplified assumptions.