Compulsory participation

All members of the Baden-Württemberg and Hamburg Chambers of Architects and the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Architects and Engineers are required to participate in the Architects’ Pension Fund (VwdA) as compulsory participants. You are only exempt from compulsory participation if

  • you have already reached the standard age limit when you join the chamber,
  • you are unable to work as defined in our Statutes
  • you are a civil servant and already have your own cover in place.

In any of the above cases or if you are not a member of the chamber of architects you cannot participate in the VwdA.

The legal consequences of participation in the Pension Fund come into effect on the date on which you join the relevant chamber of architects.

Only employees who are registered members of one of the chambers of architects can be exempt from compulsory membership. In such cases, compulsory contributions must be made to the statutory pension insurance scheme or you must continue your membership of a different professional pension scheme. There are no other circumstances in which you can be made exempt from compulsory participation (e.g. if you have a different type of cover). If the exemption criteria no longer apply, you must inform the Pension Fund of this so that your compulsory participation can be reinstated.

Compulsory participation in the Pension Fund ends

  • at the end of membership of the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Architects, the Hamburg Chamber of Architects or the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Architects and Engineers ends,
  • at the end of the month in which you begin to receive a public sector pension,
  • if you are an employee and are made exempt, provided that you make compulsory contributions to the statutory pension insurance scheme,
  • if you are exempt because you are participating in a different professional pension fund.

If you are no longer participating in the Pension Fund, you will still be able to receive your entitlements without paying any further contributions. Please note, however, that your disability pension entitlement may decrease because if you are aged under 55, this is calculated from the average of the contribution payments made over a maximum of the last five calendar years. It is not possible to receive a contribution refund.