Demographic change: hundreds of thousands of baby boomers prematurely retired

Almost every second baby boomer in retirement has so far retired. According to a new study by the German Economy Institute (IW), these are 1.8 million people from the Boomer years that have come to retirees by 2023. In relation to all members of the respective birth year, this is a share of 44 percent, according to the pension insurance, more than 55 percent based on the new players.

If the trend towards early retirement does not change, according to the IW study, which the German Press Agency was available, at least one million baby boomers annually will receive legal pension from 2025. The actual age of pension access does not really increase up to 67 rising retirement age.

According to the employer’s institute, a trend reversal is primarily the pension for long -term and particularly long -term insured persons in the way – in the latter, after 45 years of insurance, you can retire two years before the age limit.

Continue in retirement without a discount?

Study author Ruth Maria Schüler believes that the Union and SPD should “consistently say that we limit the opportunities for premature retirement,” as she says. However, receiving the discount-free pension after 45 years was one of the SPD core promises in the election campaign-accordingly the coalition agreement promises.

It has been clear for years: With the wave of the baby boomers, there are further billion dollar expenses for the pension fund, while the number of deposits threatens to collapse. Because of the dark prospects, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) announced a “pension reform commission” in the Bundestag. The committee still has to be occupied and, according to the coalition agreement, should deliver results until the middle of the legislature.

Pension fund under cost pressure

Time is pushing. Pension expenses are likely to double by 2045 in view of the aging of the company of currently 372 billion euros. So it can be found in the draft for the pension reform of the previous parameter government that had failed at the end. The expenses will increase more if the retirement level of the pension is kept at 48 percent, as black-red promises.

Millions of members of the particularly birth -strong vintages have already reached the regular retirement age. The IW researchers understand the years 1954 to 1969. According to the study, based on the recent data from the pension insurance, in 2023, already 4.5 out of 19.5 million baby boomers-“0.9 million, although they have not yet reached the statutory retirement age,” as the IW states. According to IW 2031, the summit of the baby boomer wave, consisting of the 1964 birth of birth, reaches the standard age limit.

Who typically retires earlier

Despite the demographic pressure, the long -time Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil had always rejected a cancellation after a long work or a rejection for the earlier pension: many could no longer work for health reasons. The successor Bärbel Bas (both SPD) also said in an interview: “There are professions when people are already finished at 60.”

IW researcher student, on the other hand, points out: “For many years of insured persons who retire without discounts, are people who have an average of a higher household income and are well trained.” It is often not those who have to work particularly hard physically.

A study by the IFO Institute already stated years ago that the discount-free pension was primarily used by men, specialists and people with a recognized professional qualification. According to an earlier IW survey, lower wage groups would have to do without an early pension more often for economic reasons. Student explains: “In the case of the discount -free pension, there are often industrial calls and classic skilled workers.”

Working in old age should be more attractive

“The aim of politics should be to keep the high -birth vintages in working life as long as possible in order to smooth the demographic wave,” says the IW in its current study. In fact, the SPD and Union want the elderly to remain working as long as possible – and have taken on the idea of ​​an “active pension” from the Union election program as a plan: Those who achieve the statutory retirement age and continue to work voluntarily should receive their salary up to 2,000 euros per month tax -free.

Students appealed to the black and red coalition to set certain restrictions on earlier pension reference, at least in the announced pension commission as an issue. Either way, there should be a lot to be expected for the people who approach retirement age after many years of work.

Federal government on the “pension with 63” coalition agreement Federal Ministry