The Dutch pension system explained: AOW and beyond

Dutch retirement income is built on three pillars. Understanding them matters for newcomers, because the years you spend abroad directly affect what you'll eventually receive.

Pillar 1 — AOW (the state pension)

The AOW (Algemene Ouderdomswet) is the basic state pension, paid by the government and administered by the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank). In 2026 the AOW age is 67 (it rises to 67 years and 3 months in 2028, and is then set to stay there through 2030). Your exact AOW date depends on your birth date — check it with the SVB (the Social Insurance Bank)'s AOW-leeftijd tool on svb.nl.

Roughly, full AOW in 2026 is about €1,500 gross per month for a single person and about €1,030 gross per person for couples, including holiday allowance (exact amounts are set by the SVB and move with the minimum wage).

Crucial for newcomers — incomplete AOW. You build up AOW at roughly 2% for each year you live or work in the Netherlands, reaching a full pension after 50 years. Years spent abroad before (or after) living here are not counted, so most internationals will reach retirement with a reduced AOW. The SVB calculates your personal entitlement. This is the single biggest reason to plan the other two pillars.

Pillar 2 — Workplace pension

Most employees build a supplementary pension through their employer, paid into a pension fund or insurer. How much you get depends on how long and how much was paid in. Not every employer offers one, and ZZP'ers (freelancers) generally don't build pillar-2 pension at all — so self-employed newcomers must arrange their own.

Pillar 3 — Private pension saving

Anyone can top up via private pension products (lijfrente) or bank saving. Contributions are tax-deductible up to your annual allowance (jaarruimte) — particularly relevant for freelancers and for anyone with an incomplete AOW or pension gap from years abroad.

See your own position

Log in to mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl with your DigiD (national digital ID) to see, in one place, all your accrued Dutch pension rights and your projected AOW.

What's changing: the new pension system

Under the Wet toekomst pensioenen (Wtp), in force since mid-2023, Dutch pension funds are moving from the old system (a targeted payout) to one based on personal pension pots and a flat contribution, where the outcome is more directly linked to investment returns. Funds are switching in stages, with the transition due to be completed by 2028. Existing rights are converted ("invaren"); your fund will inform you when it affects you.

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Freelancer? Building pension is on you — this links closely to your ZZP tax position. Lived abroad for years? Your AOW will likely be incomplete — worth planning pillar 3 early.

Rates: 2026 — last verified June 2026. Sources: Rijksoverheid, SVB, Tweede Kamer (Wtp). AOW amounts are approximate and set by the SVB.

DutchNewcomer provides information, not financial advice. For your personal pension situation, consult a certified adviser.