The Rürup pension was introduced on 01.01.2005. It is very similar to the statutory pension insurance. It guarantees a monthly pension payment after the age of 62 at the earliest. This pension payment cannot be mortgaged, inherited, sold, transferred or capitalised.
Those who can do without this flexibility are rewarded. The state promotes the basic pension by making the contributions tax-deductible. The Rürup pension is particularly useful for the self-employed, as they would otherwise not be able to expect any tax relief for their contributions to old-age provision.
Self-responsible provision is mandatory
The Rürup pension (also known as a "basic pension") is a private pension insurance that allows you to take responsibility for your own financial well-being in old age - lifelong pension benefits with good returns are guaranteed.
High returns due to tax advantages
Because of the high tax benefits, the Rürup pension is particularly attractive for the self-employed and freelancers. Unlike the statutory pension, where the contributions of the insured already flow back to the pensioners the next month, your Rürup pension is accumulated and paid out to you again later plus a secure interest rate.
Thanks to the tax advantages, the return on the Rürup pension is significantly higher than the interest on other forms of investment.
Supplementary occupational disability insurance
As a supplement to old-age provision in the form of a Rürup pension, additional modules can be taken out to provide cover in the event of occupational disability. It is also possible to agree on variable premium payments or premium-free periods.
Rürup pension products are citizen's benefit-proof, i.e. they are not counted as assets for the purpose of receiving citizen's benefit.
Father state promotes through tax concessions
Contributions to the Rürup pension are tax-reducing in the savings phase. Single taxpayers can claim up to 100 % of 26,528 euros as a special tax expense in 2023. For jointly assessed spouses or registered partners, up to 100 % of the maximum amount of 53,056 euros is possible.
The statutory pension in crisis
The statutory pension is in crisis. Fewer and fewer insured people are paying for more and more pensioners, and there is no end in sight.
Personal responsibility is more important today than ever before. If you want to enjoy your life in retirement and be well provided for financially, you need to make private provisions in good time.
Personal responsibility with the Rürup pension
The Rürup pension is a form of private old-age provision. Private provision also includes endowment insurance, savings, the purchase of securities or of residential property. The state promotes private old-age provision through special subsidies and tax concessions.
And unlike the statutory pension, where the payments of the insured already flow back to the pensioners the next month, the contributions to private pension contracts, including the state allowances, are saved and later paid out again, plus compound interest, as lifelong pensions.
Flexible deposit
As a Rürup saver, you can pay in as flexibly as your financial circumstances allow. In the event of financial bottlenecks, you can even agree with your contracting company to suspend premium payments for a certain period of time.
Growing tax incentives
For optimal old-age provision, however, regular contribution payments are recommended. The contributions to your Rürup pension are tax-deductible.
Tip: As a supplement to the Rürup pension, many providers offer additional modules to cover you in the event of occupational disability: Financial protection in the event of occupational disability is becoming increasingly important, because the statutory benefits in the event of premature retirement due to illness are hardly worth mentioning.
From 62 at the earliest
As a rule, payments from your Rürup pension plan begin when you reach the statutory retirement age (depending on your year of birth, the statutory retirement age is between 65 and 67). As an insured person, however, you can apply for benefits as early as 62 - the monthly pension payments are then of course lower than when the pension does not start until the statutory retirement age.
The benefits from Rürup contracts are generally granted as a monthly pension - for life and no matter what age you reach.
Provision for the family too
Claims from a Rürup pension cannot be inherited, but you can agree on a survivor's pension for your spouse or children when you take out the contract.
Like statutory pension entitlements, entitlements from a Rürup pension cannot be transferred, pledged or sold, nor can they be paid out in a lump sum. Rürup pensions paid out for the first time from 2040 are fully taxable, until then a transitional rule applies.
Many providers, numerous products
It is not easy to find the right path in the jungle of pension products.
If you want to close your personal pension gap with a Rürup pension, you will find yourself faced with a multitude of providers and different products.
Do not do without advice
It is particularly important to adapt your private pension provision to your personal pension gap and your individual income and asset situation. Optimal use of tax incentives must also be taken into account. You should therefore not do without thorough advice.
Tailored to the self-employed
Due to the tax framework, the Rürup pension is particularly tailored to self-employed and freelancers, who often do not acquire any entitlements to a statutory pension during their working life and therefore have to provide for their old age on their own full responsibility.
Due to the high tax allowances, you can also invest larger amounts in your Rürup pension and at the same time benefit from the state subsidy.
If you also insure yourself against occupational disability in combination with the Rürup pension, you are already well protected before reaching retirement age.
Employees can also benefit
Even employees with statutory pension entitlements need to make additional provisions today. The Rürup pension as a sensible supplement to the statutory pension scheme can help decisively when it comes to closing the personal pension gap. Employees benefit from the tax incentives of the Rürup pension just as much as freelancers and the professionally self-employed.