Every retirement plan on one leg is dangerous

Are state parliamentarians threatened with poverty in old age? Trade union pension experts complained in 2018 that members of a state parliament received 3.675% p.a. of their diets as a pension under the pension law in force until 2007, with a calculated income of EUR 8,220 after five years, i.e. EUR 1,510 as a pension. […]

Additional financing of company pension schemes (bAV) subject to wage tax

When do employees face a double insolvency risk with occupational pension schemes and additional tax burdens? The subject of the BMF letter of 6 December 2017 (IV C 5 – S 2333/17/10002; DOK 2017/0989084) is, among other things, also the future treatment of incorrectly structured company pension scheme (bAV): Accordingly, special payments by the employer […]

Occupational pension provision – to be used with caution

The Federal Minister of Finance (BMF, letter dated 28.09.2017 – draft dated 04.10.2017) announced the future treatment of incorrectly structured occupational pension schemes (bAV): According to this, special payments by the employer in the event of calculation errors by the provider are liable to pay income tax for employees. Employers and employees are thus doubly […]

Empty state guarantee: Why the Riester pension is not safe

On Sunday, 05.10.2008, the Chancellor said “We tell savers that their deposits are safe. The federal government is also responsible for this.” – For lack of a legal basis, this is not a declaration of guarantee but, correctly understood, a political declaration of intent. On Sunday, 24.04.2016, a Labour Minister will be quoted as saying […]

Can the “New Social Partner Model Company Pension” prevent increasing old-age poverty?

– Which disadvantages even the new occupational pension scheme (bAV) does not eliminate –   Both the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BAMS) and the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) are currently interested in improving occupational pension schemes (bAV). On the one hand, there is the concept of a “new” implementation route via […]

External division of occupational pension rights

With regard to pension equalisation, there is currently (still) the possibility of “external splitting” of company pension schemes (bAV), for example in the event of divorce, Section 17 of the German Pension Equalisation Act (VersAusglG). Affected are direct commitments (also known as pension commitments) as well as rights against a relief fund. The beneficiary spouse […]

Optimize pension equalization – even during a current marriage

Company pension scheme: Dr. Johannes Fiala and Peter Schramm explain how a higher level of provision can be achieved with less effort in a guest article for procontra-online.de. With regard to pension equalisation, there is currently (still) the possibility of “external splitting” of company pension schemes (bAV), for example in the event of divorce, Section […]