Pension trick: This is how self-employed will get 120 euros per child extra

Those who are self -employed usually ensure age on their own. With life insurance, professional pension funds or both. What only a few know: You can also obtain a legal pension as I am employed.

Even more: Even those who are self -employed automatically acquire pension claims to the German pension insurance (DRV) as soon as they raise children. The so -called child -rearing times. Many self -employed people already have pension entitlements without knowing it. You have to.

To actually get a pension, you have to have five pension insurance years together. There is talk of five years of “waiting time” in the jargon of the German pension insurance.

One of the two parents can get three pension years per child. The mother’s child -rearing periods are usually assigned. In children who were born before 1992, there are two and a half pension years. With two children, one parent is already full of at least five pension years – and thus a payable claim to pension.

The child -rearing period is evaluated as if you have practically earned the average wage of the pension insured. For three years, a monthly pension of 118 euros comes together, in this way, a monthly pension of 118 euros

The parents can also divide the child -rearing times. It is crucial who has mainly brought up the child in the respective time. This can be proven subsequently, for example, using parental leave or employment contracts. In principle, the parents can also divide the retirement years freely for the child. However, this can only be done with a joint explanation in the first years of life – and no longer afterwards.

If self -employed people only have one child or two children and the child -rearing periods, only three pension years come together. However, the two missing years to pay can be easily supplemented by voluntary deposits.

Because self -employed can pay contributions voluntarily at the German pension insurance at any time. You can choose the amount freely within certain limits – and deduct taxes as “special expenses”. Overall, retirement provision in the income tax return up to an altitude of just over 29,000 euros can be asserted.

Basically, anyone who lives in Germany and is not compulsory can deposit voluntary contributions. The minimum contribution is currently (2025) to EUR 103.42 a month. The maximum amount is 1404.30 euros a month.

The contributions can be paid monthly, but also at once. Important: The contribution for 2024 can still be paid until March 31. So if you now pay 1241.40 euros for 2024 and again the same contribution for 2025, you have secured two pension years. Together with three years of child education, this would justify a pension entitlement.

And it is worth it: the one -time payment of around 2880 euros only creates a pension entitlement of 11 euros a month. Due to the three additional years of child education, however, the state 129 euros pension – month after month.

This amount increases with wages every year – at least according to the current legal situation. The next pension increase on July 1, 2025 has already become almost 134 of the 129 euros.

Important to know: The child -rearing periods are only granted by the pension fund as long as the parents do not acquire child pension claims otherwise. This is the case with civil servants, for example. In contrast, this generally does not apply to professional pension funds. Which is why self -employed practically always have this claim. But you also have to assert it.

For this, it is advisable to initiate an account statement. Or to agree first. It is possible, for example, that mini jobs or other special reasons have also arisen. And it is not necessary to pay voluntarily.

If you still want to pay a pension for 2024, for example because you reach the regular age limit during the year, you have to hurry up. The application V0060 can also be electronically. To maintain the deadline, it is even sufficient to explain the intention to voluntarily deposit to the pension fund.