Logo Bayernportal
Home > Procedures

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

If you pay too much into your pension insurance, you will receive a refund.

Online services

Online services

Responsible for you

Künstlersozialkasse

Street address

Gökerstraße 14
26384 Wilhelmshaven

Postal address

26380 Wilhelmshaven

Mehr zur Behörde

Procedure details

Your total pension insurance contribution will be paid to the German Pension Insurance if you are subject to pension insurance via the Artists' Social Insurance Fund (KSK).

The basis for calculating your pension contribution is the expected income from your self-employed artistic or journalistic work. You report this anticipated income to the Künstlersozialkasse. Your income is only included in the calculation of your contributions up to the so-called contribution assessment ceiling.

No contributions may be paid into the statutory pension insurance scheme above the contribution assessment ceiling.

If you pay contributions into the statutory pension insurance scheme from different insurance relationships, this may result in an overpayment. This means that you pay more than the contribution assessment ceiling actually allows. In this case, the overpayment will be settled retrospectively:

  • Your earnings are reduced proportionately and
  • You receive a refund of your overpaid contributions.

You will receive a refund of your overpaid pension insurance contributions if:

  • you have paid pension insurance contributions via the Künstlersozialkasse for the relevant year and
  • you have paid more than the maximum contribution in total by paying additional pension insurance contributions.

  • Required Documents
    • completed online application or informal application
    • if available, a current insurance history from Deutsche Rentenversicherung or other documents from your pension insurance provider regarding the overpayment of contributions

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 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.

There are no costs.

There is no deadline.

The processing time depends on the workload and whether the Künstlersozialkasse has to request documents from your pension insurance provider. (3 bis 4 Monate)

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

  • Appeal. Detailed information on how to lodge an objection can be found in the notice from the Künstlersozialkasse.

Status: 09.03.2025
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales
Source: Federal Portal