English Summary

The pension schemes are no privilege

Finally, the fact remains that: the classically "verkammert" professions, together with their provision schemes have created an old-age pension scheme tailor-made to their requirements. They had to do this as the State blocked their way to the State pension scheme in 1957. These provision schemes are no privilege for the professions, but came into being because the State demanded of the professions that they regulate their own pension provisions themselves. The release right of employees from the legal pension insurance burden underlined this reference to self-help.

The professional pension schemes furthermore ease the burden on State and society because their payments come exclusively from contributions and profits from the fund assets, i.e., without any State subsidies. The professions also participate in the solidarity with the pension scheme throughout society, because they also pay the State subsidy (the federal subsidy) for the pension scheme through their taxes without them receiving anything in return for their pension schemes.