My working visit to Germany as a researcher lasted less than five years. Can I apply for reimbursement of German social security contributions and is it worth it?
The waiting period for the German pension scheme is 60 months. Thus, if the period during which contributions are paid lasts less than 60 months, reimbursement is generally an option. However, as a result of the provisions contained in Regulation (EC) 883/04 and bilateral social security agreements, it may be advantageous not to touch your German pension contributions. In this case, upon reaching retirement age, all the pension rights accrued in all the contracting states are taken into account. They are not lost. Either the periods during which rights have been accrued are included in calculating the pension entitlement at home, or one receives proportional German and foreign pensions concurrently.
I am German and I held a seminar at a university in Austria for one month and had to pay social security contributions. However, I live in Germany and will also receive my pension in Germany. Can I get the contribution to the Austrian pension scheme refunded?
In general, yes. But it may be worth leaving the Austrian contribution untouched as, according to Regulation (EC) 883/04, it will be taken into account in calculating your German pension entitlement.
I'm Russian and have spent several years working in Germany, paying obligatory social security contributions. I now want to return to Russia. Will my contributions to the pension scheme be refunded? Is it relevant whether you've spent more than five years working in Germany?
You can submit an application for a refund of contributions to the pension system after a waiting period of 24 months after you have stopped paying contributions to the obligatory pension scheme. If contributions have been paid for at least five years, then the general qualifying period for a standard old-age pension has been fulfilled. In this case, instead of a refund, it might be worth leaving the German pension contributions where they are and applying for a German as well as a Russian pension at the age of 67.
I am going to change from a fixed-term position at a German university to a tenured position at a British university. Will the benefits I have accrued in Germany be credited to my pension entitlement in Britain?
Accrued German benefits are credited to the British pension entitlement if the qualifying period for a German pension has not been fulfilled. If the qualifying period has been fulfilled, you will receive both a German and a British pension once you retire.
I was a researcher in Germany, working on the basis of a fellowship. Subsequently, I worked in France and now I am employed in Poland. I'm currently in the process of collating the pension rights I have accrued and need to know how much pension I am entitled to in Germany. Does the time spent as a fellow count?
The German statutory pension scheme only applies to people who are in employment. On principle, anyone living on a fellowship is not subject to the German statutory pension scheme.
However, if contributions have been paid into the German pension scheme, for example if a fellow has been employed or paid voluntary contributions to it, citizens of the EU are eligible all contributions recognised that have been paid within the EU. Depending on the duration, periods during which rights have been accrued will either be taken into account when calculating your pension entitlement in your own country or you will receive various portions of your pension from different EU states.
In the case of citizens of third countries, it depends whether a social security agreement has been concluded between Germany and your own country on mutual recognition of accrued rights. If there is no such social security agreement, you are only eligible for a German pension if contributions have been paid to the German pension scheme for at least 60 months. For shorter periods, it may be worth applying to have your contributions refunded.
Initially, I worked at a German university. I am currently employed by an American university and this year I will start working in Great Britain. I paid or will pay pension contributions in each of these countries. How will the contributions paid abroad be recognised in the German pension scheme when I return to Germany in a few years time?
On principle, pension contributions paid abroad entitle you to a pension in the country in which they have been paid into the pension scheme. Accrued foreign benefits are only credited to the German qualifying period if the qualifying period for a foreign pension has not been fulfilled and there is a social security agreement with Germany. In this case, agreements of this kind exist with both the USA and Great Britain.
I am British, have worked as a researcher in Germany for twelve years, have paid 144 monthly instalments into the German pension scheme and now wish to retire to Great Britain. Am I eligible for a German pension and how much will I receive?
As you have paid 144 monthly contributions to the pension system, you are eligible for a German pension if you have reached pensionable age. The amount of the pension is calculated individually during the authorisation process. Apart from the amount and number of monthly contributions made, factors which may affect the amount of your pension include periods which are creditable although no contributions were paid during them, such as education, child-rearing or unemployment.
"I am going abroad to undertake research with a fellowship grant. My family will accompany me. How can I ensure that my partner's stay abroad will be recognised as a period of child care by the German statutory pension scheme?
Periods of childcare abroad are recognised by the German statutory pension scheme if the parent responsible for the child care or their spouse paid the required contributions into the German statutory pension scheme with respect of work carried out abroad, immediately prior to or during the period of child care.
If this is not the case, then periods of child care abroad can still be recognised if the parent responsible for the child care or their spouse still maintains employment relations with a German employer during the period of work abroad. An example of this may be a dormant employment relationship or leave of absence.
The same is true in the event that the reason the spouse did not make the required contributions was because, for instance, he or she was exempted from the requirement to join the statutory pension scheme due to their status as a civil servant.
Applications for the recognition of child care periods should be submitted to the German Federal Pension Insurance (Deutschen Rentenversicherung) on form V800.
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Last updated: 24 April 2023