Pensioners should receive a one-time bonus of 300 euros. This is what the federal government’s third relief package provides for. But who gets the money and what do those affected have to watch out for? FOCUS online provides the most important answers.

Pensioners in Germany are to receive a one-time payment of 300 euros to compensate for the high energy prices by December 15, 2022.

FOCUS online provides the most important answers.

Anyone who receives a pension from the German pension insurance receives the energy price flat rate. The planned 300 euros automatically end up in the bank account that receives the pension.

Anyone who receives their pension for the first time in December 2022 will receive the payment by January 15, 2023. Here, too, the payment will be made automatically.

If you receive a pension payment for the first time from January 1, 2023, you will receive nothing. The key date is December 1st. In addition, you will not receive the bonus if you receive a German pension and live abroad. The money will only be transferred to households that have declared their place of residence in Germany.

The payment is made automatically via the German pension insurance.

Yes. Income tax must be paid on the energy price flat rate.

After all, you don’t have to deduct social benefits for the 300 euros.

The tax burden could increase. An example calculation shows that a pensioner with an annual average pension of 16,800 euros has to pay tax on around 81 percent. The bonus increases the tax burden from 294 euros to 349 euros.

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The bonus of 300 euros is paid out once. It is irrelevant whether you receive a widow’s pension and your own pension, for example. The pension insurance number is decisive, according to the German pension insurance on request.

Good news. If you pay taxes in Germany and are registered in Germany, you will receive the energy flat rate transferred to your bank account. Pension recipients from other member states of the European Union receive the bonus if they are resident in Germany and have unlimited tax liability.