Apply for an orphan's pension from the agricultural pension fund

You can apply for the orphan's pension in writing or in person:
Written application:

• Download the application and attachment form for the orphan's pension from the website of the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG). Fill it out completely and compile the required documents.
• You can send your completed and signed application form with the required documents by post to your agricultural pension fund.
• Your agricultural pension fund will check your application. You will receive a written decision by post or in your electronic mailbox at the SVLFG.

Note: A person you trust can also submit your pension application on your behalf. Please submit a corresponding power of attorney to your agricultural pension fund. As long as the power of attorney is valid, your agricultural pension fund will only contact your authorized person.

Personal application during the consultation:

• Compile the documents required for the application and make an appointment with the agricultural pension fund or an SVLFG advice center.
• Your pension application will be recorded during your consultation.
• Your agricultural pension fund will check your application. You will receive a written decision by post or in your electronic mailbox at the SVLFG.

Application via online procedure:

• Go to the SVLFG online portal and log in there.
• Complete the form and upload the necessary documents. Then submit your pension application online. You will receive the application as a PDF in your online mailbox.
• Your agricultural pension fund will check your application. You will receive a written notification in your electronic mailbox at the SVLFG.
  

Surviving children receive an orphan's pension from the Agricultural Pension Fund if the deceased parent or parents have completed the minimum insurance period (waiting period) of 5 years.

• The waiting period of 5 years takes into account all compulsory contributions as well as voluntary contributions that have been paid to the agricultural pension fund or are deemed to have been paid. Contributions for periods prior to 01.01.1995 are generally only taken into account if there are no gaps.
• The waiting period of 5 years is fulfilled prematurely if the insured person died as a result of an accident at work or an occupational illness (insured event) and was subject to compulsory insurance at that time.
• If a pension equalization was carried out in favour of the deceased, the transferred entitlement is converted into waiting period months.

Periods from other pension schemes:

• Periods from other pension schemes, for example periods in the statutory pension insurance scheme, can also be counted towards the qualifying period if the deceased paid contributions to the Landwirtschaftliche Alterskasse (LAK) for at least one month.
• If the external periods overlap with those of the agricultural pension fund, the external periods cannot be credited at the same time.
  • This also applies if the deceased was exempt from compulsory LAK insurance as an entrepreneur during the same period.
  • An exemption from compulsory insurance as a contributing family member, on the other hand, does not preclude the crediting of third-party periods completed during this time.

The following periods can be taken into account:

• Compulsory contribution periods in the statutory German pension insurance and equivalent periods in the social insurance of the former GDR,
• periods of exemption from insurance in the statutory pension insurance scheme, for example as
  • civil servant
  • Judge
  • professional or regular soldier
  • other person with similar civil servant status,
• periods of exemption from compulsory insurance in the statutory pension insurance scheme, for example
  • Employees and self-employed persons who belong to a professional pension scheme
  • Teachers and educators at private schools, if there is civil servant-like coverage
  • certain foreign periods under supranational and intergovernmental law.

You are entitled to an orphan's pension if you:

• are the natural or adopted child of the deceased,
• are a stepchild or foster child who was taken into the household of the deceased and
• are a grandchild or sibling who was a member of the deceased's household or was mainly supported by the deceased,

if you:

• are not yet 18 years old or
• are not yet 27 years old and
• are in school or vocational training for more than 20 hours per week,
• are doing voluntary service or
• are unable to care for yourself due to physical, mental or psychological disability.

An orphan's pension can also be paid for transitional periods of a maximum of 4 calendar months, for example between 2 training courses.

An orphan's pension entitlement may be extended beyond the age of 27, for example due to prior completion of voluntary military service during the probationary period.

• Valid identity card or passport
• Birth or parentage certificate of the child
• Death certificate of the deceased parent
• if applying for an orphan's pension for an orphan of full age:
  • Proof of education or vocational training or
  • Proof of voluntary service
• if the application is submitted by another person:
  • Power of attorney or
  • Order of the court
    

• § Section 15 of the Act on Old-Age Insurance for Farmers (ALG)

An appeal against the orphan's pension decision can be lodged within one month (3 months abroad) of its notification. If the appeal is unsuccessful, there is the option of taking legal action before the social court.

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance necessary: No
Online services available: Yes

If there is an accident insurance case (e.g. an accident at work), an orphan's pension can also be paid from the accident insurance. Different conditions and calculation bases apply here.

11.04.2022