The statutory pension (gesetzliche Rente)
- You need at least 5 years (60 months) of contributions (allgemeine Wartezeit) to get any German old-age pension. Periods in EU countries and agreement countries count towards this.
- Retirement age rises gradually to 67 (for those born in 1964 or later).
- From age 27, after 5 contribution years, you receive a yearly Renteninformation with your projected pension. You can also check your account online at deutsche-rentenversicherung.de with your Online-Ausweis.
- Rough value: one year of average earnings gives a little over €40/month of pension (the Rentenwert, adjusted every July).
If you leave Germany
- EU/EEA/Swiss and agreement countries: your German entitlements stay; they're paid later, also abroad.
- Other countries: if you have less than 5 years, you can apply for a refund of your own contributions (Beitragserstattung) — only after you've left Germany and at least 24 months after your last contribution. Only the employee half is refunded.
Additional pillars
| Pillar | What it is | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Company pension (bAV, Entgeltumwandlung) | Part of your gross salary goes into a pension plan | Employer must add at least 15% if it saves social contributions; check costs and what happens if you change job |
| Riester | State-subsidised private plan | Being replaced: a new Altersvorsorgedepot with state subsidy is planned from 2027. Don't sign new Riester contracts without advice |
| Rürup / Basisrente | Tax-deductible private pension, mostly for self-employed people | Cannot be withdrawn as a lump sum, inheritance limited |
| ETF savings plan | Your own investment (Chapter 46) | Flexible, low cost |
2026 changes worth knowing
- Aktivrente: since 1 January 2026, people who keep working past the statutory retirement age can earn up to €2,000/month tax-free in regular employment (not Minijobs or self-employment).
- Frühstart-Rente (€10/month state contribution for children's retirement saving) is planned. Check the start date before relying on it.