Suspension of a deceased person’s pension in Germany:
Why must the authorities be notified within one month – and what are the legal consequences of delay?
When a person who receives a pension in Germany dies, the heirs or close relatives are confronted with a series of administrative steps. One of the most important is:
Notifying the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV) of the pensioner’s death within one month from the date of death.
This is not just a matter of bureaucracy – it has serious legal and financial implications.
Who is responsible for notifying the authorities?
In practice, the notification can be made through different channels:
Civil registry office (Standesamt):
If the person dies in Germany, the Standesamt usually sends an automatic notification to the DRV. However:
This does not always cover all private or occupational pension funds (e.g. company pensions, Pensionskasse, Zusatzversorgung).
There may be delays, especially if the deceased lived abroad shortly before their death.
Family members, heirs or authorised representative (Bevollmächtigter):
It is strongly recommended that relatives or the authorised representative confirm the notification directly with the DRV, to ensure that the pension is stopped in time and to avoid later repayment claims.
Notification deadline
The DRV should be informed within one month after the date of death.
Ideally, the notification is made as early as possible, even if probate documents (certificate of inheritance, etc.) are not yet available.
What happens if the notification is delayed?
If the pension is not stopped immediately:
Pension payments continue to be transferred automatically to the deceased’s bank account.
All amounts paid after the date of death are considered “overpayments” (Überzahlung), i.e. payments made without legal basis.
The heirs are obliged to repay the full amount, even if the money has already been withdrawn or used for expenses.
Important note:
Even if there was no intention to conceal the death, the heirs are usually held liable for the repayment of all pension payments made after the date of death.
What exactly needs to be done?
Step – Details
Notify the DRV
By phone, by letter or, where available, by e-mail.
Send the death certificate
Attach a copy of the death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) together with the deceased’s insurance number (Rentenversicherungsnummer).
Clarify the bank account
Close the account or have it temporarily frozen until any overpayments have been settled with the DRV.
Ask about possible survivor’s benefits
Request information on any entitlement to widow’s/widower’s pension (Witwen/Witwerrente) or orphan’s pension (Waisenrente) if there are surviving dependants.
Can payments continue even after proper notification?
Yes, this may happen if:
The deceased received several pensions or benefits (for example, from an occupational pension scheme, Pensionskasse or additional pension fund).
Only one institution was notified while other pension providers were not informed of the death.
For this reason, it is essential to notify each pension provider or fund separately.
Practical tip
The first notification should ideally include:
The deceased’s full name
Date of death and date of birth
Insurance number (pension insurance number)
Contact details of the heirs or the legal representative
This speeds up the process of stopping payments and reduces the risk of unexpected financial claims against the family.
Conclusion
Stopping the pension after death is a legal obligation.
Timely notification prevents the accumulation of undue payments and saves the heirs from cumbersome correspondence or even disputes with pension and insurance institutions.
Be proactive and contact the competent bodies as early as possible – especially if the deceased lived alone or received more than one pension.
The writing and editorial team of this website strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and consultation of multiple sources. Nevertheless, errors may occur or details may be incomplete or not fully verified. Please therefore regard the information in these articles as an initial guide only and always contact the relevant authorities or official bodies for binding and up-to-date information.
