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Pay back your pension! 60,000 euros claim hits Hessian widow!
A Hessian widow has to pay back 60,000 euros to the pension insurance because she received too much widow's pension for over 20 years.
Pay back your pension! 60,000 euros claim hits Hessian widow!
An unusual situation has arisen for a senior citizen from Hesse, who is now confronted with a demand for repayment of 60,000 euros. How Mercury reported, the German pension insurance demanded repayment because widows' pensions were too high over a period of 20 years.
The woman in question received a generous widow's pension after her husband's death in 1996, and supplemented this with her own old-age pension in 1999. What she didn't know, however, was that her old-age pension would have had to reduce the widow's pension. An automatic data comparison by the pension insurance in 2019 triggered the reclaim after the double payment was discovered.
Court ruling and consequences
In March 2023, the Hessian State Social Court made a clear ruling: the widow must return the overpaid sum. It was found that she acted with gross negligence because she failed to comply with her obligation to provide information. As an insurance clerk, she should have been well aware of the regulations governing pension payments. The Federal Social Court also confirmed the Hessian court's decision, meaning that repayment remains legally possible even after 20 years.
The widow's pension will be lower from December 2025, which represents a significant financial burden for the senior citizen. The decision shows once again how important it is to find out about your rights and obligations in the pension system.
Background information
A special aspect of this reclaim is the obligation to report changes in income. While the majority of pensioners are often firmly convinced of the reliability of their pension, such overpayments can have serious consequences. In this widow's case, the reclaim represents a harsh but legally sound consequence that could also serve as a warning to others.
The issue of old-age pensions and widows' pensions remains complex and will certainly continue to cause debate in the coming years. Not only is individual knowledge required here, but also good advice from experts. Because, as this woman's situation shows, ignorance can sometimes be costly.
For the senior, this ruling could ultimately be a new beginning, taking into account her financial situation and the upcoming changes. It remains to be seen how she will deal with this challenge and what others can learn from this story.