Social Security Performance
The German Social Security Insurance offers the following:
(a) |
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a pension at age 65 the latest,
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(b) |
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disability benefits in case you are not able to work prior
to turning 65,
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(c) |
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survivor benefits in case of the death of a spouse,
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(d) |
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benefits if you are raised as an orphan up to age 27,
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(e) |
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benefits for a divorced spouse raising one
or more children.
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Insured people
who have contributed into the system for quite a long time can
apply for a pension at an earlier
age.
At present the
age when women can receive social security payments is being
step-by-step raised to 65. For workers new to the system the age
will be raised
to 67.
In case an insured
worker becomes so ill that it is apparent that he or she will not
be able to go back to work for quite
some time,
that worker can apply for disability benefits.
Those benefits
will be granted on a limited basis and the amount of the benefits
will
depend on the number and amount of paid contributions as
well as on the degree of the disability.
In case of the
death of a spouse the surviving spouse (depending on the age) can
apply for survivor benefits. Those benefits will,
however, be partially charged against the survivor's own
income – be
it in the form of a pension or any income through work.
In case
one or both parents of a child die before the child turns
18, the surviving
child can receive semi- or full orphan benefits.
If the surviving
child is still in job-training or any other job-related schooling
the age limit will go up to 27.In case
a divorced spouse
dies, the surviving divorced spouse can under certain
conditions apply for special benefits to help pay for
a child's education.
Conditions for receiving a pension
In order to receive Social Security benefits you have to meet the
following qualifications:
You will receive a pension at age 65 provided you have observed the
mandatory waiting period of a minimum of 60 months.
Women who were born before 1952 can already receive their benefits
at age 60 provided they have after turning 40 accumulated a minimum
of 120 months of contributions and have observed a waiting period
of at least 15 years. Insured persons who were born before January 2nd 1961 are entitled
to a disability pension if they, during the 5 years prior to becoming
disabled, have at least a period of 18 months of contributions and
if they have observed the mandatory waiting period of 60 months (see
above).
Insured persons who were born after January 1st 1961 can (by observing
the same conditions as above) receive a pension due to partial or
full disability.
In order to receive survivor benefits the deceased spouse must have
observed a waiting period of at least 5 years or was already drawing
a pension.
In order to receive
semi- or full orphan benefits or for the guardian to receive benefits
for raising a child a mandatory waiting period
of at least 5 years must have been observed.
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