Germany pension updates: New earnings limits and court ruling

Recent legal and regulatory developments in Germany impact various pension recipients. Regarding disability pensions (Erwerbsminderungsrente), significant changes are set for 2026. While annual earnings limits for a full disability pension will increase to €20,763.75, a critical restriction remains: daily working hours must not exceed three hours to maintain eligibility. Exceeding this time limit can jeopardize pension claims regardless of total income.

In a separate legal ruling, the Federal Labour Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht) ordered an employer to pay a retiree €4,614.55 in back payments due to incorrectly calculated occupational pensions. The court ruled that the employer's long-standing historical method of calculation must be considered alongside the written pension regulations. This decision serves as a precedent for other retirees whose company pensions are based on older pension schemes or statutes.