Pension insurance obligation for self-employed persons 2013

As of 2013, all self-employed persons under the age of 50 must, in all probability, be covered by old-age insurance. Thus, a pension insurance obligation is also introduced for self-employed.

10/31/2013

The Federal Minister of Labor Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) is currently working on a bill, after self-employed will be obliged in future to take out a pension insurance. The minister wants to prevent self-employed from slipping into old-age poverty and having to rely on basic social security benefits.

For whom does the pension insurance obligation apply??
According to the Federal Minister of Labor, the pension insurance obligation for the self-employed should come into force in 2013. A first draft will clarify who will be affected by the pension obligation. Thus, the rules should apply to all self-employed who are younger than 30 years of age when the law comes into force or only then start a self-employed activity. It should also apply to the self-employed who are between 30 and 50 years old, who only start their own business after 1.7.2013 (after a grace period) and to 30- to 50-year-olds who are already self-employed but not yet "sufficient" "have taken precautions for old age.

Not yet finalized is clarified how high the minimum amount should be. In the discussion is an amount between 250 to 300 euros monthly. Thus, it should be achieved that the future pension is higher than the basic security. Former self-employed retirees should receive at least 700 euros pension.

Pension contribution for the self-employed in the statutory pension insurance
Who pays as a self-employed in the statutory pension insurance, for which there is a uniform rule amount. The amount is redefined by the federal government every year. Currently, this is around 510.00 euros. The amount must be paid in full by the self-employed person, because, so to speak, the employer's share of the employee's salary must be paid by himself. Exceptions are artists, house traders and freelance publicists. Who has just built an existence, does not have to pay the full amount. By request, founders can pay half the regular contribution.

Self-employed, who are still not subject to pension insurance
Excluded from the law should be self-employed persons who are older than 50 years old. It also excludes the self-employed who earn less than € 400 a month and members of professional groups who are covered by their occupational pension schemes, as well as artists and publicists who are members of the artists' social insurance scheme. Self-employed persons who work independently for less than 20 hours per week and usually receive most of the income from a non-self-employed activity are also not affected.

It is advisable to find out now which pension insurance or investment form is eligible and whether you yourself could be affected by this legislation. (Sb)