Germany debates raising retirement age to 70 amid higher pension payouts

German policymakers are considering linking the statutory retirement age to life expectancy, which could push the retirement age up to 70 for future birth cohorts. Current legislation already raises the age from 65 to 67 for those born in 1964, and proposals suggest an additional two‑month increase per year group, affecting workers in their 50s today. Models from the Pension Commission indicate that people born in 1970 would need to work until age 68, those born in 1976 until 69, and cohorts from 1982 onward could face retirement at 70 as early as 2052. Early retirement would lead to pension cuts of 0.3 % per month before the normal age.

At the same time, the average standard pension in Germany rose to €1,913 gross per month as of 1 July 2026, a 4.24 % increase driven by a higher pension value (€42.52 per contribution point) and a unified national earnings base of €51,944. To receive the full standard pension, workers must have 45 years of contributions at average earnings, a target that few achieve. The reforms aim to secure the pension system amid an aging population, but they also raise concerns about adequacy for those with interrupted careers.