Options upon retirement
You would like to know what your options are when you retire. As a matter of fact, you have various options. The choices you make will influence your pension. The pension planner tells you exactly what your options are and how much pension you will get. You are allowed to combine options. When making your choices, consider carefully how much income you need when you retire. Also take into account your expenses in the longer term. If you want, you can apply for your pension yourself in the pension planner.
- Log in with your DigiD en go to the pension planner.
- Answer some questions to see how much pension you will get.
- You can try out different retirement ages.
- You can make multiple choices at the same time.
Do you have questions or having trouble logging in? If so, please contact us.
Pension options
By default, your pension starts when your reach your AOW pension age. However, you choose when you actually retire. You can retire early or later.
You can take partial retirement and carry on working part-time. You can take partial retirement from age 55. You will continue to accrue pension over the hours you still work.
Find out more about partial retirement
You can opt to get a higher pension in the first period of retirement and until up to 10 years after your state retirement age. After that, you will receive a lower pension for the rest of your life. A temporarily higher pension can be interesting if you expect higher costs in the first period after retirement. But also keep in mind that prices may rise over time (inflation), while you will get a lower pension. After that initial period, you may also be faced with unexpected costs, such as healthcare costs. Carefully consider beforehand if you can make ends meet with a lower pension. In this video, employee consultant Rob van der Wall tells you more about this option.
The reverse is also possible: receiving a lower pension first and a higher pension later. This option can be interesting if you know that a lower amount will be enough during the first period after retirement. For instance because your partner is still working. Whether this is the right choice for you depends on your personal situation. Do you want to use this option? Then please contact us.
You can exchange partner pension for additional retirement pension for yourself. In that case, your partner will receive less or no partner pension upon your death. This may be a good idea if your partner has enough income of their own to get by. Is your ex-partner entitled to a special partner pension? Then you cannot exchange this for additional retirement pension.
If you do not have a partner, we will automatically replace the partner pension for you. This means that your pension will be higher. You can also exchange part of your pension for additional partner pension. For instance if your partner has no income or a small income. This does mean, however, that your pension will be lower.
Think carefully in advance about how much you and your partner (upon your death) will need to make ends meet.
On your retirement date, you can withdraw up to 10% of your total retirement pension at once. You can use it to pay off your mortgage, to renovate your house or to travel. That might sound attractive. But remember that you will then receive a lower pension for the rest of your life. You can use this option from 1 July 2026 at the earliest. The relevant legislation has not yet been finalised. We will keep you informed via our website.
Is your total pension less than €613.52 gross per year (2025)? Then you can buy off your pension when you retire. You will then no longer receive a monthly pension from PME.
Your pension is subject to tax (income tax). You can ask us to apply payroll tax reduction (loonheffingskorting) to your pension. When you apply for your pension with us, you can make this choice.
First check out which option fits your situation best.