Benefits

Statutory pension insurance for employees (contributions, qualifying period, pension statement, account clarification)

As an employee you are insured with the German statutory pension insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) from your first working day: currently 18.6% of your gross pay goes to pension contributions, you pay half, your employer registers you and pays the contributions in, and mini-jobs are also covered; your insurance number (social security number) is the key to your pension account. You only get a standard old-age pension after at least 5 years of insurance (general qualifying period); from age 27 with 5 years of contributions you receive a yearly pension statement (Renteninformation), the first one together with your insurance record (Versicherungsverlauf), and gaps such as school, university or child-raising periods are closed through an account clarification (Kontenklärung) with the pension insurance or your city's insurance office (Versicherungsamt).

Last updated: 8 October 2026 · Draft – not yet editorially reviewed.

Germany’s statutory pension insurance (gesetzliche Rentenversicherung) generally begins automatically when you start working as an employee. Your employer pays contributions and reports information that goes into your pension account (Versicherungskonto), but you should check that the account also includes other periods relevant to your pension. 3 4

Who needs this

Employees pay pension contributions from their gross earnings. The contribution rate is 18.6 percent, generally split equally between employee and employer; the employer withholds your share and forwards the total. 4
An old-age pension requires both the relevant retirement age and a minimum insurance period (Wartezeit). For the regular old-age pension (Regelaltersrente), that period is five years. The regular retirement age is rising in stages to 67 and is 67 for people born in 1964 or later. 1 6

Step by step

When you start work, your employer handles your registration with pension insurance. Tell your employer if you already have a pension insurance number (Versicherungsnummer). Give that number whenever you ask about your account or make an application. 4
Check your annual pension statement (Renteninformation). It shows contributions paid, pension rights earned so far and a projection of your old-age pension. The stated amounts are gross; health and long-term care insurance contributions, and possibly taxes, must still be paid. 5
Read your insurance record (Versicherungsverlauf) for missing or incorrect periods. Employer contributions are recorded automatically, but periods such as child-rearing or caring for a relative may need information from you; school and child-rearing periods are added on application. 3 5
If you find gaps, request an account review (Kontenklärung). You can request one informally at any time and can also request a current insurance record at any time. During the review, cooperate by checking the record and providing relevant facts and evidence. 5 8

Documents

Keep evidence of education and your pay or wages so that you can substantiate periods if needed. 3
For an account review, provide the documents needed to establish the periods in question; the applicable local lists below give examples. 8 9 10

Cost and time

The pension statement is sent automatically once a year to insured people aged at least 27 who have five years of contribution periods. The first statement comes with an insurance record. 5
Pension qualifying periods are assessed in months: a calendar month with only part-month pension-relevant contributions counts as a full month. 2

Deadlines

Pension insurance automatically invites insured people to an account review by age 43 at the latest, but you can request one earlier. 5
Under the rules on insurance accounts, once an account has been reviewed, or if you do not object within six calendar months after an insurance record is sent, the pension provider establishes certain recorded data concerning periods more than six calendar years old by formal decision. 8

City by city

München: People who live or work there can arrange an account-review appointment with the KVR-Versicherungsamt. Bring available originals, including a passport or identity card, insurance record or pension assessment (Rentenauskunft), and evidence relevant to gaps. The service is free; necessary copies are made and certified free of charge. 9
Stuttgart: Arrange an account-review appointment by phone or email; online booking is also available for the central Versicherungsamt. Depending on the appointment, you can attend in person or by video. Bring a valid passport or identity card, a current pension assessment (Rentenauskunft) or your latest insurance record, and evidence of gaps. 10