U.S. and Germany: Social Security Agreement

What it covers

In force: Dec 1, 1979

For Germany, the agreement covers Wage Earners' Pension Insurance, Salaried Employees' Pension Insurance, Miners' Pension Insurance, Steelworkers' Supplementary Pension Insurance and Farmers' Old-Age Security, plus taxes that finance Germany's sickness insurance and long-term nursing care programs. The agreement also lets U.S. nationals, stateless people and refugees make voluntary contributions to the German program if they meet certain conditions.

How the U.S. counts Germany credits

Applies to every U.S. agreement.

• SSA says that to have your Germany credits counted for a U.S. benefit you must have at least 6 U.S. credits (generally one and one-half years of work).
• If you already have enough U.S. credits for a benefit, the U.S. cannot count the foreign credits.
• If you are short, you may qualify for a partial U.S. benefit based on both countries' credits.
• In 2026, one U.S. credit takes $1,890 of covered earnings, up to 4 credits a year (SSA's pamphlet prints an older 2022 amount).

Germany's side

To have your United States and German credits counted together for a German benefit, you must have at least 18 months of coverage credited under the German system. On the U.S. side, SSA's pamphlet notes that because U.S. Social Security began in 1937, German coverage earned before 1937 cannot be counted.

Ages, payments and forms

• The German system measures credits in months. SSA's pamphlet shows German retirement benefits payable at age 65 with five years of coverage, at age 63 with 35 years of coverage, or at age 60 with 15 years of coverage with additional conditions. Check with the German authorities for the age that applies on the date you apply.
• German benefits are paid monthly, in advance. The U.S. pays monthly. Each country pays its own benefit.
• SSA's pamphlet says to complete form SSA-2490-BK (Application for Benefits Under a U.S. International Social Security Agreement) and mail it to your local Social Security office.

Where to start

• You can apply in one country and ask that it count as a claim in the other. Each country processes the claim under its own laws, counts credits from the other country when appropriate, and tells you its decision.
• In the United States: visit or write any U.S. Social Security office, or call 1-800-772-1213 (8 a.m. to 7 p.m., business days; TTY 1-800-325-0778).
• If you live in Germany: contact any German social security office, or the Federal Benefits Unit at the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt (Giessener Strasse 30, 60435 Frankfurt).

What this page cannot tell you

• Whether your own record will qualify. Only SSA and the other country can decide that.
• Current ages and amounts. SSA's pamphlets show a 2022 credit amount and some older age tables, so confirm numbers with SSA or the other country.
• Anything not stated on SSA's page for this country.