Individuals who were born before 1 January 1955

General information

As is the case with all payments under pension insurance, you must submit the relevant application in order to start drawing your old-age pension. Your pension will not be paid out automatically. Pension applications must be submitted to the pension insurance institution.

Individuals who were born before 1 January 1955 are not subject to pension harmonisation (with the exception of individuals entitled to the flexible retirement scheme [Korridorpension] or retirement scheme for heavy labourers [Schwerarbeitspension]). In some cases, these individuals will benefit from more favourable provisions than those set out in the Allgemeinen Pensionsgesetzes (APG).

Flexible retirement schemes are not relevant for women born before 1955, as the standard retirement age for these women is still 60.

Affected

Individuals who were born before 1 January 1955

Requirements

In order to be eligible for an old-age pension, you must have reached the standard retirement age and have completed the necessary qualifying period.

Pension insurance benefits can only be paid out upon application. Pension applications must be submitted to the relevant authority.

• Standard retirement age:
  • 60 for women
  • 65 for men
• Qualifying period:
  • 180 months of being insured (15 years) within the last 360 calendar months (30 years); or
  • 180 months of making contributions (15 years) under statutory insurance or voluntary insurance, regardless of when these were accumulated; or
  • 300 months of being insured (25 years) up until the pension effective date

Deadlines

Application by the end of the last month before retirement at the latest

Competent authority

The competent pension insurance institution

Only one pension insurance institution is responsible for calculating and paying out the pension, and that is the institution with which the most insurance months were accumulated in the last 15 years before the pension effective date. The competent pension insurance institution only applies the provisions that apply to it. This means that periods of insurance accumulated with other insurance institutions will be treated as periods accumulated with the competent institution.

Procedure

The application is a requirement for the carrying out of a pension determination procedure. A separate application form is provided for the corridor pension. However, an informal written letter is also classed as an application. The form should then be submitted afterwards.

Required documents

The pension insurance institution will advise which documents are required.

Costs and fees

There are no charges payable.

Further information

Further Links

Old-age pension (→ AK)^{German text}

Legal basis

• Allgemeines Sozialversicherungsgesetz (ASVG)
• Allgemeines Pensionsgesetz (APG)

Link to form

Application for an old-age pension^{German text}

Authentication and signature

Electronically: Log in using your ID Austria (only possible in the case of the PVA) – Information on the changeover from mobile phone signature and citizen cards to ID Austria^{German text}.
In writing: an informal letter (form should be submitted afterwards)
In person: In this case, you should take with you the necessary documents, such as your birth certificate, birth certificates for your children, your residence registration form, your marriage certificate, where appropriate, and an identity document.

Means of redress or appeal

The insurance institution will make a decision on the pension application in an official notification. A complaint may be lodged with the competent Labour and Social Court within three months of delivery of the official notification.

Assistance and problem-solving services

Ombudsman service for the competent pension insurance institution