What impact does an inheritance have on my social benefits, such as Hartz IV or pension?
November 15, 2022 | 50,00 EUR | answered by Mia Widmann
Dear Attorney specializing in inheritance law,
My name is Christian Zellerbach and I am facing a complex situation regarding my social benefits. My father recently passed away and left me a significant inheritance. Now I am wondering how this inheritance will affect my ongoing social benefits, such as Hartz IV or my retirement pension.
Currently, I receive Hartz IV and rely on this support to make a living. At the same time, I have been paying into the statutory pension insurance for several years and want to ensure that my retirement pension is not affected by the inheritance.
My concern is that the inheritance may jeopardize my social benefits or even lead to me losing my essential security. I am unsure of how to proceed in this situation and what legal steps I can take to protect my social benefits.
Therefore, I would like to ask for your advice and understand what specific implications the inheritance could have on my social benefits. Are there ways to arrange the inheritance in a manner that does not endanger my social benefits? What legal steps can I take to protect my retirement pension while also accepting my father's inheritance?
I thank you in advance for your support and look forward to your expert advice on this complex issue.
Sincerely,
Christian Zellerbach
Dear Mr. Zellerbach,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the impact of your inheritance on your ongoing social benefits. It is understandable that you are concerned about how the inheritance could affect your financial security and what steps you can take to protect your social benefits.
First and foremost, I would like to emphasize that inheritance is generally considered as income and can therefore have an impact on your social benefits. In the case of Hartz IV, inheritances are usually counted as income and can result in a reduction or even a complete loss of your entitlement to this benefit. Therefore, it is important that you inform the job center immediately about the inheritance so that a reassessment of your entitlement can be made.
With regards to your old-age pension, the inheritance can also have an impact. If you have already paid into the statutory pension insurance, your pension is generally not directly affected by the inheritance. However, the inheritance may be considered as assets and this could impact other benefits, such as basic security in old age.
To protect your social benefits and avoid possible losses, I recommend that you seek legal advice early on. Together, we can examine the possibilities to arrange the inheritance in a way that does not jeopardize your social benefits. There are various options available, such as accepting the inheritance in a specific form or transferring it to other individuals, to avoid negative impacts on your social benefits.
Furthermore, we can also consider whether it would be beneficial to consider a gift of the inheritance to protect your social benefits. It is important that you have all relevant facts and documents ready so that we can find the best possible solution for your situation together.
I am available to answer your questions and support you in this complex matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me to arrange a consultation appointment.
Best regards,
Mia Widmann
