Reimbursement of overpaid pension insurance contributions by the artists' social security fund

Procedure

As a general rule, if you have paid higher contributions than the income threshold actually allows, your earnings will usually be automatically reduced and the overpaid contributions refunded. For this purpose, the German Pension Insurance and the Artists' Social Insurance Fund exchange the necessary information and values with each other. If you would like a refund of the overpaid pension insurance contributions in advance, you can apply for this from the Künstlersozialkasse.

Online application:

• Call up the online form on the federal portal verwaltung.bund.de. This will guide you step by step through the necessary information, which you can enter electronically.
• Note: You will need a valid ELSTER certificate to log in to the online form. Alternatively, you can use your electronic ID document.
• It will take you about 10 minutes to complete the online application.
• First enter your personal details, including your insurance number. You will find this on the letter from the Künstlersozialkasse in the top right-hand corner.
• On the next page, you can indicate the year for which you have paid too many pension insurance contributions and upload any additional documents.

Application by post:

• Let the Künstlersozialkasse know for which year you have paid too much pension insurance contributions.
• Please also state your insurance number. You will find this number in the top right-hand corner of the letter from the Künstlersozialkasse.
• You are welcome to enclose additional documents about the overpaid pension insurance contributions with your application and send everything to the Künstlersozialkasse.

After receiving your application, the Künstlersozialkasse will check your details. If a reduction is made, you will receive a corresponding notification.

If there are any queries or (further) documents are required, the Künstlersozialkasse will contact you by post.

Legal bases

• § 22 Absatz 2 Sozialgesetzbuch Viertes Buch (SGB IV)

More information

You can only apply for a refund of overpaid pension insurance contributions for completed (i.e. past) years.

Legal remedy: Appeal. Detailed information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in the notice from the Künstlersozialkasse.