Applying for German pension from USA
 

I know there have been a few threads about receiving UK pension in the US but wonder if anyone has tried applying for a German pension. From what I can understand I can apply through the social security office here but when I called they didn't have a clue. I've found form SSA-2490 but am unsure if this is the correct one. Anybody had experience with this? I've been in contact with my ex in Germany who is trying to help but there must be a simple way of doing this???

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

Google is your friend:

German Missions in the United States - Pensions from Germany

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

Thanks, I found this but it seems I still have to go through SS here, or at least get stuff certified through them. Just wondered if there's anyone here who has gone through this procedure.

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

Looking at the link supplied by MidAtlantic, you apply to Germany via the forms cited there. They will undoubtedly ask you about your pension status in any foreign countries, as do the UK forms. It is usually all done via the country to which you are applying for the specific pension.

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

Okay, but looking at this site more closely, following:

If you live in one of the Member states of the European Community/European Economic Area or in Chile, Israel, Japan, in the successions states of Jugoslavia, Canada/Québec, Corea, Croatia, Morocco, Switzerland, Turkey, Tunisia or in the USA,it is advisable to make your application for a pension at the insurance institute of your country of residence like it is custom there.

So, all I really wanted to know if anybody has done this.

Thanks.

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

Why don't you contact them directly with your queries? By the way the certification you mentioned doesn't have to be done by the US SSA -- I've had that kind of thing done for the UK by my doctor or a notary public (even used my vet on occasion).

German Missions in the United States - Pension - Contacts

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

this is very useful thank. My wife is German and we just started tracking hteis info down. Appreciated:goodpost:

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

From what I understand of the process, having not yet claimed a pension as I haven't reached pensionable age, there are provisions for those with limited contributions in two (or more) countries, to have the contributions aggregated, but the idea appears, as far as I can tell, to be to help those with little pension provision to maximize their pension.

However if you have sufficient contributions to claim a pension in both/ each country then you are almost certainly better off claiming a pension directly in each country than applying to have your contributions aggregated into one pension paid in your country of residence.

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

I have enough credits for pensions in both countries. Even the pension office in Germany said that I should be able to apply over here through SSA (without having to aggregate the contributions, i.e. separate pensions from both Germany and USA) but SSA in US is not always willing to do it because it means work for them.

I've got a phone number in Germany I'm trying to get through to but it's always busy. Will keep trying but, failing that, will send an email direct to the German pension office. I have to talk to/have email from them since I have a couple of complications. Will update as soon as I have a resolution for anybody who will be going through the same thing.

I did research this before posting and have talked to my ex in Germany who has just done this. Just wanted to know if anybody else had tried it from over here.

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

At last I've sent off my application for my German pension. Instead of putting the entire lengthy experience here, if anyone has any questions I'll do my best to answer them. By the way, I found it impossible to make an appointment with Social Security here (have been trying since last October) and calling them was useless as well since nobody had a clue.

Re: Applying for German pension from USA
 

From my personal experience it will be easier to apply in each country instead of doing it through the US agency. We could not even do a German and British pension together in Germany where we were based at the time. We had to do it in each country separately.