The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of clinically relevant somatoform complaints in a representative sample of the elderly. For the first time, the job-related development of the elderly is analysed in relation to somatoform complaints. Further, personality variables and family development are examined. The data basis of the evaluation is a partial sample (n = 1002) of the cohort study "Interdisziplinäre Längsschnittstudie des Erwachsenenalters" (ILSE). The assessment included a half-structured interview on the development of work and family, a detailed clinical examination, a psychiatric screening (SCID) and the neuroticism and extraversion scales of the personality test NEO-FFI. A total of 29 participants (2.9%) with clinically relevant somatoform complaints were identified, 20 females and 9 males. They were significantly less satisfied and less involved in their careers than the rest of the sample. They evaluated their partnership as significantly worse, yet the amount of experienced distress did not differ. The index group scored much higher on scales for neuroticism than the other, whereas they scored significantly lower on scales for extraversion.