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Apply for an early retirement pension for spouses from the Agricultural Pension Fund

Service Description

As a farmer, you can apply for your old-age pension up to 10 years before reaching the standard retirement age if

  • you have fulfilled the waiting period of 15 years and
  • your spouse or partner has already reached the statutory retirement age.
    • an entitlement to a standard old-age pension from the agricultural pension fund or
    • is entitled to an early old-age pension for long-term insured persons.

The earliest possible entry age for this type of pension will be gradually increased from 55 to 57.
Reduction:

  • If you apply for an early old-age pension as a spouse or civil partner, this can only be paid to you with a deduction.
  • Your pension is reduced by 0.3 percent for each calendar month for which you claim an early retirement pension.

Additional earnings:

  • If you still feel fit enough, you can earn some additional income on top of your old-age pension. This does not invalidate your pension entitlement, but it can affect the amount of your old-age pension.
  • High additional earnings can lead to a complete reduction in your pension. However, this only applies as long as you have not yet reached the standard retirement age, i.e. you have retired early.

Once you have reached the standard retirement age, you can earn unlimited additional income without it being deducted from your old-age pension.

Process flow

You can apply for an early retirement pension for younger spouses or partners in writing, in person or online:
Written application:

  • Download the application and attachment form for the early retirement pension for younger spouses or civil partners from the SVLFG website. Fill it out completely and compile the required documents.
  • You can send your completed and signed application together with the required documents by post to your agricultural pension fund.
  • Your agricultural pension fund will check your application. You will receive a written decision by post or in your electronic mailbox at the SVLFG.

Note: A person you trust can also submit your pension application on your behalf. Please submit a corresponding power of attorney to your agricultural pension fund. As long as the power of attorney is valid, your agricultural pension fund will only contact your authorized person.

Personal application during the consultation:

  • Compile the documents required for the application and make an appointment with the agricultural pension fund or an SVLFG advice center. Your pension application will be recorded during your consultation.
  • Your agricultural pension fund will check your application. You will receive a written decision by post or in your electronic mailbox at the SVLFG.


Application via online procedure:

  • Go to the SVLFG online portal and log in there.
  • Complete the form and upload the necessary documents. Then submit your pension application online. You will receive the application as a PDF in your online mailbox.
  • Your agricultural pension fund will check your application. You will receive a written notification in your electronic mailbox at the SVLFG.

Requirements

You will receive the early retirement pension for younger spouses or life partners on application if

  • you have reached the relevant age for you
  • your spouse or partner is or was already entitled to the normal standard old-age pension or early old-age pension for long-term insured persons.
  • you have completed the minimum insurance period (waiting period) of 15 years,
  • All compulsory and voluntary contributions that you have paid or are deemed to have paid to the agricultural pension fund are taken into account in the waiting period of 15 years. Contributions for periods prior to 01.01.1995 are generally only taken into account if they have been paid without gaps.
  • If a pension equalization was carried out in your favour, the transferred entitlement will be converted into waiting period months.

Periods from other pension schemes:

  • Periods from other pension schemes, for example periods in the statutory pension insurance scheme, can also be counted towards your qualifying period.
  • If the external periods overlap with those of the agricultural pension fund, the external periods cannot be credited at the same time.
    • This also applies if you were exempt from compulsory insurance with the pension fund as an entrepreneur during the same period.
    • However, an exemption from compulsory insurance as a contributing family member does not preclude the crediting of third-party periods completed during this time.

The following periods can be taken into account:

  • Compulsory contribution periods to a statutory German pension insurance institution and equivalent periods of social insurance in the former GDR,
  • periods of exemption from insurance in the statutory pension insurance scheme, for example as
    • civil servant
    • Judge
    • professional or regular soldier and
    • as another person with similar civil servant status
  • Periods of exemption from compulsory insurance in the statutory pension insurance scheme, for example
    • Employees and self-employed persons who belong to a professional pension scheme
    • Teachers and educators at private schools, if there is civil servant-like coverage
  • certain foreign periods under supranational and intergovernmental law

Which documents are required?

  • valid identity card or passport
  • if the application is submitted by another person:
    • Power of attorney or
    • Order of the court

What are the fees?

Emission: free of charge

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

  • Applying for a pension: by the end of the 3rd calendar month after the end of the month in which you meet the eligibility criteria.
  • Payment of the pension: from the calendar month in which you meet the conditions for entitlement to the pension.
  • Note: If you apply for the pension later, it will be paid from the calendar month in which you applied for the pension.

Processing duration

Processing Time: 2 - 13 Weeks
If you submit all the necessary application documents, the Landwirtschaftliche Alterskasse will usually make a decision within 3 months.

Legal basis

Applications / forms

An objection can be lodged against the early retirement pension decision within one month (3 months abroad) of its notification. If the appeal is unsuccessful, there is the option of taking legal action before the social court.

Appeal

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance necessary: No
Online services available: Yes

Further Information

Author

Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG)


Forwarding service: Deep link to the original portal

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Technically approved by

Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS)

Professionally released on

11.04.2022

Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6PLus)

Start your request directly online:

Competent Authority

Sozialversicherung für Landwirtschaft, Forsten und Gartenbau (SVLFG – AK-Leistung)

Address
Weißensteinstraße 70-72
34131 Kassel, documenta-Stadt
Telephone
+49 561 7850
Fax
+49 561 785219006
E-Mail
Contact us
WWW
Website of the SVLFG
DE-Mail
poststelle@svlfg.de-mail.de
Opening times

Monday to Thursday: 08:00 to 16:00
Friday: 08:00 to 13:00
and by appointment

Further Authorities