Germany
Worked in Germany? Any pension you built up here is yours to keep and can usually be paid to you abroad — but you have to claim it; it won't start automatically. The full state pension age is 67, with early access from 63. On totalization, Germany has bilateral totalization agreements, so the years you worked here may combine with other countries you've worked in. Below is Germany's system at a glance and what expats should check.
Overview is open to everyone. Create a free account to unlock schemes, eligibility, tax and claiming for all 47 countries.
Free tool: German Pension Refund Calculator — Left Germany? See what a contribution refund would pay you, and what you'd give up forever.
Overview
Germany operates a mandatory pay-as-you-go (PAYG) statutory pension system — the Gesetzliche Rentenversicherung (GRV) — established by Bismarck in the 19th century and the world's first formal pension system. The GRV is a points-based earnings-related scheme financed by payroll contributions (18.6% of gross salary in 2025–2026, split equally between employer and employee), supplemented by substantial federal tax subsidies. All dependent employees and most self-employed are compulsorily insured; civil servants have a separate scheme.
Show full overviewShow less
Pension entitlement is calculated by multiplying accumulated Rentenpunkte (pension points) by the current Rentenwert (point value), which stood at €40.79/month per point from July 2025. The 2025 Pension Package (Rentenpaket 2025), passed by the Bundestag in late 2025, stabilises the pension level at a minimum of 48% of average wages until 2031, introduces Mothers' Pension III (equalising child-raising credits regardless of birth year), and establishes the Aktivrente (active pension) from January 2026, allowing workers past statutory retirement age to earn up to €2,000/month tax-free. The Generationenkapital (often called 'Aktienrente') — a state-funded capital reserve invested in global markets — launched in 2026 with an initial €12 billion injection, growing 3% annually, targeting €200 billion by the mid-2030s to help stabilise contribution rates.
The Riester pension (Pillar 3 state-subsidised private pension) is under reform, with a new Altersvorsorgedepot (retirement savings depot) planned to replace or supplement it from 2027, offering capital-market-linked products with reduced guarantees and lower fees.
53.3%
Three-pillar system: Pillar 1 (mandatory statutory GRV), Pillar 2 (voluntary occupational bAV), Pillar 3 (state-subsidised Riester/Rürup and private pensions)
Bismarckian earnings-related PAYG (Gesetzliche Rentenversicherung), supplemented by voluntary occupational (bAV) and private (Riester, Rürup) pillars
Employee
9.3%
Employer
9.3%
Self-Employed
18.6% (full rate if compulsorily insured; voluntary contributors choose amount between €96.72–€1,404.30/month in 2025)
Notes
Total GRV rate: 18.6% of gross salary (2025–2026). Contribution ceiling: €96,600/year (€8,050/month) in 2025; rising to €101,400/year (€8,450/month) in 2026. Income above ceiling is exempt. Federal subsidies cover approximately 28.9% of total GRV benefits. Contribution rate capped at 20% by coalition agreement. Mandatory pension for newly self-employed introduced from April 2025 under coalition agreement.
Common questions
What is the retirement age in Germany?
The full state pension age in Germany is 67. Early retirement may be possible from 63.
Can I claim a Germany pension if I live abroad?
Yes. A pension you've earned in Germany stays yours wherever you retire, and can usually be paid into an overseas account once you reach pension age. It won't start automatically, though — you need to claim it, typically a few months in advance, through Germany's pension authority.
Do totalization agreements affect my Germany pension?
Germany has bilateral social-security (totalization) agreements. These can let you combine the years you worked in Germany with years in partner countries to meet a minimum qualifying period, so short stints aren't wasted. Which partners and rules apply depends on your own work history.
How is the pension system structured in Germany?
Bismarckian earnings-related PAYG (Gesetzliche Rentenversicherung), supplemented by voluntary occupational (bAV) and private (Riester, Rürup) pillars Three-pillar system: Pillar 1 (mandatory statutory GRV), Pillar 2 (voluntary occupational bAV), Pillar 3 (state-subsidised Riester/Rürup and private pensions) It includes 5 schemes in our directory.