The reduced earning capacity pension supports you if you are no longer able to work for health reasons and have not yet reached the regular retirement age. It replaces your income to a certain extent or supplements it.

Before you can receive the reduced earning capacity pension, the German Pension Insurance will check whether rehabilitation can help you to earn your own living again. This includes medical and vocational rehabilitation, for example, further training for professional reorientation or work aids.

The German Pension Insurance determines the extent to which you can still work in the general labor market. Depending on this, you will either receive

• a pension for full reduced earning capacity or
• a pension for partial reduced earning capacity.

If you are partially disabled from a medical point of view and are unemployed because there is no suitable part-time job available, you can also receive a pension for full disability.

As a disabled person, you may also be eligible for a disability pension. This applies, for example, if you work in a special facility for disabled people and are unable to work on the general labor market due to your disability.

Pension amount

The amount of your reduced earning capacity pension depends on your working life as recorded by the German Pension Insurance Fund. Your annual pension information statement will tell you how much you can expect to receive if you are fully incapacitated for work. If you are only partially incapacitated for work, half of this amount will be used as a basis.

For younger people, it is not only the few years of employment to date that count. Rather, there is the so-called additional period. This is the time between the onset of reduced earning capacity and a certain age specified by law. The additional period puts you in the same position as if you had continued to pay contributions until that age.

If your pension begins before the age limit applicable to you, you will have to accept reductions. For each month that you retire early, the reduction is 0.3 percent, but no more than 10.8 percent in total.

Additional income

If you receive a reduced earning capacity pension, you can earn additional income from a part-time job within certain limits.

• If you are fully disabled, you may work less than 3 hours per day. If you earn more than €19,661.25 per year (as of 2025), your pension will no longer be paid in full or may not be paid at all.
• If you have a partial disability, you may work less than 6 hours per day. The amount you are allowed to earn before your pension is no longer paid in full or possibly not paid at all is calculated on an individual basis. However, this limit is at least €39,322.50 per year (as of 2025).

Applying for a reduced earning capacity pension does not mean that you will never be able to work again. It is often possible to recover from serious health setbacks with targeted treatment and support.

At any time during your reduced earning capacity pension, you can try to see if you are fit enough to return to permanent employment without any disadvantage to your pension entitlement.

Special rule for those born before January 2, 1961

If you were born before January 2, 1961, you may be eligible for a "partial disability pension for occupational disability." This pension takes into account whether you can continue to perform your previous job.

• Due to illness or disability, they are unable to work
  • and are therefore fully incapacitated for work, or
  • at least 3 hours but less than 6 hours a day due to illness or disability and are therefore partially incapacitated for work.
  • Exception: If you are partially disabled from a medical point of view and are unemployed because there is no suitable part-time job available, you may also be eligible for a full disability pension under certain circumstances.
• You cannot improve your earning capacity through
  • medical rehabilitation or
  • vocational rehabilitation, for example through retraining or work aids.
• You have not yet reached the standard retirement age. This is the age at which you can start receiving your regular standard retirement pension.
• You have been insured for at least 5 years. This corresponds to the so-called general waiting period.
• The general waiting period of 5 years includes:
  • Contribution periods from compulsory and voluntary contributions,
  • substitute periods,
  • child-raising periods,
  • Periods from pension rights equalization and pension splitting between spouses,
  • Periods of marginal employment with contributions paid by the employer, and
  • supplements to remuneration points for remuneration from minor employment exempt from compulsory insurance.
• Exceptions to the general waiting period are possible in these cases
  • You had an accident at work.
  • You have an occupational disease.
  • You suffered an injury during military or civilian service.
  • You were imprisoned for political reasons.
  • You became fully incapacitated for work within six years of completing your training and have paid contributions for at least one year in the last two years prior to the onset of your incapacity for work.
• You have paid into the pension insurance scheme for at least 3 years in the last 5 years prior to your incapacity for work.
  Exception:

If you had already completed the 5-year waiting period before January 1, 1984, a complete record of so-called entitlement maintenance periods is sufficient for the period from January 1, 1984, until the onset of your reduced earning capacity. These include, for example, voluntary contributions or, under certain conditions, periods of unemployment.

Reduced earning capacity for people with disabilities

If you have not completed the general waiting period of 5 years before the onset of reduced earning capacity, you may still be eligible for a pension due to full reduced earning capacity.

You must then

• fulfill the waiting period of 20 years, for example, by having worked for 20 years in a workshop for disabled people and
• have remained continuously fully incapacitated for work.

You can apply for a reduced earning capacity pension by mail, in person, or online.

Tip: Before submitting your application, you can seek advice from the German Pension Insurance (DRV).

Pension application by mail:

• Download the form package for reduced earning capacity pensions from the DRV website. Fill out the application for an insured pension and the forms mentioned therein completely and compile the required documents.
• You can send your completed and signed application with the required documents either
  • by mail to the German Pension Insurance (DRV) or
  • hand it in at one of the local advice centers.
• Once your pension application has been received, you will receive a confirmation of receipt.
• The German Pension Insurance (DRV) will check your application for completeness and request any missing documents if necessary.
• The German Pension Insurance (DRV) will check the requirements for your pension entitlement and the completeness of your insurance history. If necessary, it will clarify any gaps in your insurance history.
• The German Pension Insurance (DRV) will check your reduced earning capacity based on the information you have provided and the documents you have submitted. If necessary for the assessment, further medical documents will be requested, such as medical reports or expert opinions.
• The German Pension Insurance (DRV) will clarify other matters, such as your health insurance status, whether you have additional income, or whether you receive another pension.
• If you are entitled to a reduced earning capacity pension, you will receive a pension notice with details of the start date, the commencement of regular payments, and the amount. You will also be informed of your rights and obligations.
• If you are not entitled to a reduced earning capacity pension, you will receive a rejection notice stating the reason for the rejection.

Pension application via online procedure:

• Go to the online portal of the German Pension Insurance (DRV) and log in. You can use your signature card, your identity card with electronic proof of identity, or your electronic residence permit.
• Fill out the application and upload the necessary documents. Then submit your pension application online.
• Once your pension application has been received, you will receive a confirmation of receipt.
• The remaining steps in the process are identical to those for applications submitted by mail.

Personal application during a consultation:

• Gather the necessary documents for the application and make an appointment at a German Pension Insurance information and advice center.
• During the consultation, your application for a reduced earning capacity pension will usually be recorded electronically and forwarded online.
• Once your pension application has been received, you will receive confirmation of receipt.
• The remaining steps in the process are identical to those for applications submitted by mail.

A person you trust can also submit the pension application on your behalf. To do so, please submit a corresponding power of attorney to the German Pension Insurance. As long as the power of attorney is valid, it applies exclusively to your authorized representative.

• objection

Permanent pensions:

• If you submit your pension application within the first three months after the onset of reduced earning capacity, your pension will begin on the first day of the month following the onset of your reduced earning capacity. If you submit your application later, your pension will only be paid from the beginning of the month in which you submitted your application.

Temporary pensions:

• A fixed-term pension usually begins at the earliest in the 7th calendar month after the onset of reduced earning capacity. It is sufficient to apply for the pension by the end of this 7th calendar month. If you submit your application later, the pension will only be paid from the beginning of the month in which the application was submitted.
• If the determination of full reduction in earning capacity results in the termination of your entitlement to unemployment benefits, sickness benefits, or daily sickness benefits, your pension due to full reduction in earning capacity may begin before the seventh calendar month after the onset of the reduction in earning capacity.

Additional explanation regarding the time limit:

Your disability pension is usually granted for a limited period of up to 3 years. The time limit can be repeated for a total duration of up to 9 years in the case of a medical time limit. You will only receive a permanent pension if it is unlikely that the reduction in your earning capacity can be remedied.

• Valid identity card or passport

• Proof that is not included in the insurance history, for example:

  • Offset certificates
  • Proof of training periods
  • Proof of unemployment
  • Proof of periods of illness

• List of your health problems

• Names and addresses of your treating physicians

• All information on medical examinations by public authorities such as health insurance companies, employment agencies, or professional associations

• Details of your hospital and rehabilitation stays in recent years

• Chronological list of your professional activities

• If someone else is submitting the application:

  • Power of attorney or
  • court order

There are no costs involved.