FAQ’s
Pension Refund Process:
Everything you need to know
Here we answer all your questions about the steps you need to take in the pension refund process. Simply scroll down or click the button.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions here. If you have a specific question about your case that is not answered in this FAQ, please feel free to contact us.
You can claim the contributions you made while you worked in Germany. Those were 9,3% of your monthly gross salary since 2018. Between 1994 and 2017, the percentage ranged between 9,35% and 10,15%.
Important Note: An assessment threshold (Beitragsbemessungsgrenze – values below “Allgemeine Rentenversicherung”) caps the maximum income as the basis for the contribution calculation. The cap varies between Eastern (89.400 euros in 2024) and Western (90.600 euros in 2024) German states. This means if you earned more, you contributed a maximum of 9,3% of the threshold and not of your actual salary. Hence, you can also only get back what you contributed.
We have also already deducted our fees from our offer.
Our fees are calculated as a percentage of the refund amount (9.9%). There is a minimum fee of €899.00 and a maximum fee of €2,899.00, i.e. from a refund amount of €29,282.83, the fee is a maximum of €2,899.00.
Our fees include the following services and items:
- Fees of the commissioned – external – lawyer according to No. 2302 VV RVG, whereby the average fee is currently € 414.00 (net) plus a lump sum for expenses (€ 20.00).
- Fees for issuing the certificate of residence and nationality via our partner notary.
- Fee charged by Fundsback for the administration of the process and customer support, including technical infrastructure and overheads such as accounting, etc.
- Bank fees – if charged by our bank for the transaction (usually over €20.00 for international banking transactions).
- Research into the current legal situation
- Affiliate commissions – if the request was made through an affiliate.
- Any shipping costs for one-time express shipping (UPS, etc.)
To verify your residence and nationality for the Deutsche Rentenversicherung process, you need to use the form we have sent you. The form can be certified by the following entities:
- Public notary (recommended)
- Authorities of your country of residence
- Banks/Institutions
- Red Cross/Hospitals
- German embassy/consulate
According to a ruling by the Düsseldorf tax court, refunds from statutory pension insurance are to be treated as tax-free income and do not constitute negative extraordinary expenses. You can find information on the judgment with an assessment here (in German). We are not permitted to provide tax advice.
§ 210 Abs. 1a SGB VI gem. § 3 Nr. 3 b) EStG
Source: FG Düsseldorf, Urteil v. 22.11.2018, 14 K 1629/18 E
A tax advisor should be consulted for further details or the individual situation abroad.
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