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German Pension Refund Eligibility for USA Citizens

If you are a U.S. citizen who has worked in Germany and paid into the German pension system, you may be eligible to receive a refund on your contributions.

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Germany - USA | German Pension Refund | All Rights Reserved

How Do I know If I Qualify for a German Pension Refund as a USA Citizen?

How to get a German Pension Refund online  | Germany Pension Refund | All Rights Reserved

Pendant que vous étiez employé en Allemagne , chaque mois un pourcentage de votre salaire brut était versé à la " Deutsche Rentenversicherung " (Assurance pension allemande) pour les futures prestations de retraite. Mais que se passe-t-il après avoir quitté l'Allemagne ?

Selon le Code social allemand (§210 SGB IV), les cotisations retraite sont remboursables après avoir quitté l'Allemagne, uniquement si

une)   vous n'êtes pas autorisé à payer des cotisations retraite là où vous vivez actuellement, et...


b)   24 mois se sont écoulés depuis que vos dernières cotisations retraite ont été versées
 

c)   vous résidez en dehors de l' UE/EEE/CH/UK

Alors que b et c sont faciles à remplir, a définit si vous pouvez obtenir un remboursement de l'argent qui a été prélevé sur votre chèque de paie. 

Check Your Eligibility – It’s 100% Free

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If you’re uncertain about your eligibility for a pension refund as a U.S. citizen, you can use our complimentary eligibility check. Unlike other companies that charge for this service, we provide it at no cost.

 

Regardless of the outcome, we’ll clearly explain your specific circumstances.


Discover if you’re eligible for a refund of your German pension insurance contributions - completely free of charge.


This service is offered exclusively to non-EU passport holders.

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Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund  | L'assurance pension légale allemande | Tous les droits sont réservés

Êtes-vous autorisé à payer des contributions volontaires?

Cette question trouve une réponse dans l'accord de sécurité sociale que l'Albanie a signé avec l'Allemagne.

 

L'accord de pension entre l' Albanie et l'Allemagne :

 

En tant que citoyen albanais, vous n'êtes pas autorisé à payer des cotisations de retraite volontaires après avoir quitté l'Allemagne et la région mentionnée sous c uniquement si vous avez cotisé à votre retraite pendant moins de 60 mois au régime de retraite allemand.

 

En d'autres termes, en tant que citoyen albanais, vous n'avez droit au remboursement de vos cotisations d'assurance retraite que si vous n'avez pas droit à de futures prestations de retraite. Pour avoir droit aux prestations de retraite mensuelles, une période minimale de cotisation de retraite de 60 mois est requise.

 

Si vous avez droit à des prestations de retraite, vous êtes autorisé à cotiser volontairement au système allemand depuis n'importe où dans le monde. Mais : Vous n'avez pas droit à un remboursement de vos cotisations de retraite.

When can I return to work in Europe after applying for a refund?

As a U.S. citizen, you are allowed to resume working in Europe the day after you submitted your refund application, given you were eligible to claim at the time of submission.

Even if your refund is still being processed at the time you start working in Europe again, it will not impact the decision of your claim.

Combien puis-je récupérer sur ma pension allemande ?

Pendant que vous étiez employé en Allemagne , des primes d'assurance pension obligatoire de 9,3 % * ont été prélevées sur votre salaire brut jusqu'à un plafond, et versées à la « Deutsche Rentenversicherung » (l'assurance pension légale allemande) .

 

Si vous avez la nationalité non européenne , vous pouvez récupérer vos cotisations de retraite allemandes après avoir quitté le pays, sous réserve d'éligibilité.

 

Pour savoir combien vous serez remboursé, utilisez notre  Calculateur de remboursement de pension  pour obtenir une réponse immédiate, étant donné que vous avez droit à un remboursement de pension allemand. 

What are the costs involved in claiming my refund?

At Germany Pension refund, we try to be as transparent as possible when it comes to costs.

That’s why we only charge a service fee of 9.75% of your refunded amount when it has been received in full by your bank account.

This includes VAT and any legal fees. There are also no hidden costs or any upfront payments.

Do I need a German bank account to receive my refund?

No, you don’t. Refunds are processed through an escrow account managed by a German law firm to ensure security.

This method helps expedite the transfer of your funds and reduces both transaction and currency conversion costs.

The money will be sent directly to your preferred bank account in the currency of your choice.

You don’t need to have a German bank account, and the account can be registered in someone else’s name.

Do I need a German bank account to receive my refund?

We realise that our customers want their refunds as quickly as possible. So, we’ve refined our process to ensure you receive your refund in only about 8 weeks.

This is significantly faster than the 6+ months it takes the German pension office to process self-submitted claims.

We also have close relationships with our partner law firms, who are in direct contact with the German pension office, which streamlines the process further.

How Do I know If I Qualify for a German Pension Refund as a USA Citizen?

With our streamlined process and professional advice, it takes less than 5 minutes to get started. With an average refund amount of €11,800, there’s nothing to lose.

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Audrey Zigmond
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JAN/15/2025

Worth every penny

Not to be dramatic, but this agency saved my life. I lived in Germany for just under 3 years, so I was eligible for my pension return. They were able to get me my refund in less than 2 months (the average time is closer to 6 months). Despite my years in Germany, I didn't stand a chance to navigate the bureaucracy, and it was worth every penny. On top of that, they were incredibly compassionate, professional, and friendly. Danke VERY much!!

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JAN/15/2025

Really helpful

Christian who assisted me with my pension refund was really helpful and patiently guided me in getting all the papers needed for me to get it refunded

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Bala Madhan
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JAN/01/2025

Refund obtained in the quickest time possible

The service provided by Johannes was extremely professional with updates provided on the process status on a regular basis. The paperwork required for the pension refund process was exact and the processing of the same was done professionally and the refund was obtained in the quickest time administratively possible. I strongly endorse this organization especially Johannes for getting me the refund.

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Heather Day
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DEC/20/2024

It took 5 weeks from start to finish

If I could give 100 stars I would. Johannes was the absolute best. Kind, attentive, professional and made the whole process super easy. It only took 5 weeks from start to finish. Thank you for everything!!!

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Louis Vitti
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DEC/19/2024

Highly recommend

The process is straightforward, fast and they are extremely responsive! Would highly recommend.

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Darren Sholes
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OCT/29/2024

Responsive, clear, well worth the fee

Excellent service, really happy I used Germany Pension Refund. They were very responsive and clear. Super helpful navigating the German bureaucracy, especially since I'm now living in the USA. Everything was done electronically, and they translated important documents and instructions into English. The bank transfer went smoothly. Well worth the fee they charge!

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Mollyvmc
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OCT/22/2024

Incredibly efficient and effective

The team was incredibly efficient and effective in retrieving my pension refund. It was a pleasure to work with them!

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Mike S.
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OCT/08/2024

Amazing...highly recommend

Amazing experience and very quick! Highly recommend. Johannes in particular was very helpful and a pleasure to work with!

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Nicholas Gawreluk
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SEP/27/2024

Best decision ever!

Working with these guys was the best decision ever! It relieved so much stress and they were amazing at making the process easy. Clear communication and trustworthy. Thank you!

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Chris Gregg
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SEP/26/2024

Straight-forward, professional, and easy

After moving back from Germany to the US, German Pension Refund made the process of getting my refund very straight-forward, professional, and easy. I highly recommend their services.

- Chris

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Janice Murphy
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SEP/23/2024

Highly recommend

Julia Kim helped me patiently through this process step by step. The time from the submission of the paperwork to getting the refund was least then what I expected. I would Highly recommend anyone to use Germany Pension Refund. Thank you for all your help.

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Ryan Westley
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AUG/12/2024

Highly recommend

Julia and team were instrumental in helping recover my Rentenversicherung payments. Highly recommend!

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Hanna Owens
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JUN/11/2024

Absolutely excellent..I highly recommend!

Julia with German Pension Refund is absolutely excellent!! She made the process so simple for me, providing clear instructions and translations of all German paperwork, checking in with me on a regular basis and nudging the pension office during the waiting period. It took about 7 months from start to finish for me to receive my refund but at no fault of Julia or the company. The pension offices in Berlin are understaffed and overwhelmed (of course), and she continued to ensure me that all was well and that it would arrive eventually. I highly recommend using German Pension Refund! Thank you Julia!

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