Dutch Pension for Expats 2026: AOW, Transfers & More

Most expats arrive without knowing that they are already building a state pension, that their employer may be paying into a pension scheme, and that there are decisions to make if they leave. This guide explains Dutch pension for expats in 2026 using the SVB, Rijksoverheid and Belastingdienst: how AOW works, what an employer pension is, what the third pillar offers, how to claim pension abroad and what happens when you leave. Wise is an affiliate partner of this site; see our affiliate disclosure.

💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026.

The Three-Pillar System at a Glance

The Dutch pension system has three pillars:

Everyone who is insured for the AOW builds up Pillar 1. Many employees also build up an employer pension (Pillar 2), depending on their employer or sector. Pillar 3 is optional.

Pillar 1: AOW, the Dutch State Pension

What AOW Is

AOW (Algemene Ouderdomswet) is the Dutch state pension. You pay AOW premium over your income during the period in which you build it up (SVB).

How AOW Builds: 2% per Year

For every year you are insured for the AOW you build up 2% AOW. The build-up starts 50 years before your AOW age and stops when you receive AOW. If you were insured for all those years, you receive the full AOW (SVB). That means:

• 5 insured years = 10% of full AOW
• 10 years = 20%
• 25 years = 50%
• 50 years = 100% (full AOW)

The SVB also notes that if you were born on or after 1 January 1950 and were insured for less than 1 year, you cannot receive AOW. Whether you are insured depends on where you live and work; see the SVB pages on when you are insured.

2026 AOW Amounts

From 1 July 2026 the SVB lists these gross amounts per month:

For a single person with loonheffingskorting, the SVB shows a net amount of €1,581.55 after the Zvw contribution of 4.85% (€80.61). If you receive only a partial AOW, multiply the full amount by your build-up percentage: 15 years is 30%, so 30% of €1,662.16 is about €499 gross per month (our calculation). Each insured year is 2%, so about €33.24 gross per month per year (our calculation).

AOW Age

The AOW age is 67 in 2026 and 2027, and 67 years and 3 months from 2028 to 2031 (Rijksoverheid, AOW-leeftijd 2025-2031). The cabinet fixes the AOW age 5 years ahead, based on life expectancy figures from CBS, and once set it cannot be changed. Your own AOW age depends on your date of birth; the SVB has a calculator.

What Happens If You Leave the Netherlands

You keep what you built up. The SVB pays your AOW at your AOW age, also if you live abroad. What stops when you leave is further build-up, because you are no longer insured. You can then look at the voluntary insurance below.

Voluntary AOW Insurance (Vrijwillige Verzekering)

If you move out of the Netherlands, you can insure yourself voluntarily to keep building up AOW. Per the SVB:

• You can apply from 2 months before you leave until 1 year after you started living or working outside the Netherlands.
• You can insure yourself voluntarily for a maximum of 10 years, with exceptions that make it shorter or longer.
• The premium is a percentage of your income, set by the government each year: 17.9% in 2026, with a minimum of €569 and a maximum of €5,693 per year. The maximum applies from an income of €38,883.

Whether it is worth it depends on your situation; the SVB has a calculator and a financial adviser can model it. For a detailed breakdown, see Dutch pension when leaving the Netherlands.

Pillar 2: Employer Pension

How It Works

Many employers offer a pension scheme through a pension fund or an insurer. Participation depends on your employer or sector; ask when you start. Both employer and employee usually contribute, and your own contribution appears on your payslip as pensioenpremie. The details differ per scheme: the contribution split, the accrual rate and the way your pension is calculated. Ask your HR department or the pension provider for the scheme rules.

What to Ask Your Employer

1. Which pension fund or insurer manages our pension scheme?
2. What is my accrual rate per year?
3. Is my pension calculated on my full gross salary or on my salary after any tax arrangement, such as the 30% ruling?
4. What partner or survivor pension is included?
5. How do I log in to the pension provider’s portal?

Small Pensions

Rijksoverheid describes small pensions as pensions below €632.63 gross per year in 2026. A small pension can be bought out (afgekocht) only if the amount is less than €632.63 per year and the member has agreed (Rijksoverheid, checked 6 October 2026). If you worked in the Netherlands for a short time and built up a small pension, ask the pension provider what applies to you. Tax is due on a lump sum; ask a tax adviser before you agree.

Pension Tracking: Mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl

At mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl you can see your pension from Dutch pension providers in one place after logging in with DigiD. If you are leaving the Netherlands, check it before you deregister, and write down the names of your pension providers and your member numbers.

Pillar 3: Private Pension Savings

Pillar 3 consists of private products such as lijfrente (annuity) and bank savings for retirement. Contributions within your annual allowance (jaarruimte) can be tax-deductible in box 1. The allowance depends on your income and the pension you already build up through Pillars 1 and 2, so if you have an employer pension it can be small. Unused allowance from earlier years (reserveringsruimte) can also be used. Check the Belastingdienst pages or ask a tax adviser how this applies to you, especially if you plan to leave the Netherlands, because the tax treatment of a lijfrente abroad depends on the rules of both countries.

For savings outside pension products, see our Dutch savings and investment guide for expats. For broader context on Dutch tax, see our Dutch tax return guide for expats.

Claiming Dutch Pension Abroad

AOW Abroad

The SVB pays AOW also if you live abroad. Check the SVB pages for how and when to apply, and contact the SVB if you know you have Dutch accrual and have not received a letter as you approach your AOW age.

The SVB says payments to a SEPA country arrive around the 24th of the month (not for the United Kingdom, where payment is at the start or middle of the month). Payment is mostly in euros, but in some countries the SVB pays in the local currency (SVB, checked 6 October 2026). If your bank account is in another currency, compare your bank’s exchange rate and fees with other providers, for example Wise, which says it uses the mid-market rate and lists its fee for each transfer. See our Wise review for expats.

Employer Pension: Contact the Provider

Your employer pension is paid by the pension provider, not by the SVB. Each provider has its own retirement age, application process and payment arrangements. When you leave Dutch employment, make sure you have the name and contact details of the pension provider, your member number and your accrued entitlement in writing. When you approach retirement, contact the provider and ask how it pays abroad.

Tax on Dutch Pension Abroad

The Netherlands has tax treaties with many countries that decide who may tax your pension. The SVB says the treaty determines whether it must withhold wage tax from your AOW, and that it cannot say per country what is withheld, because it differs per country and per situation. The treaty does not cover the premium for national insurance: if you are insured for Dutch national insurance, the SVB withholds that premium from your AOW, even if you pay wage tax in your country of residence (SVB, checked 6 October 2026). The SVB may also withhold a contribution for healthcare costs (the Zvw contribution abroad).

Before you retire abroad, ask the Belastingdienst or a tax adviser who knows both countries’ rules.

Transferring Pension To and From the Netherlands

Moving From the Netherlands

Ask your Dutch pension provider whether a transfer is possible, because there are conditions. For a transfer to another EU country, your Dutch provider assesses whether you meet the conditions. For a transfer to a country outside the EU, your provider asks De Nederlandsche Bank to assess it. You may be able to apply for an exemption from tax on the transfer if you have the declaration and work at least 5 years continuously outside the Netherlands (Belastingdienst, checked 6 October 2026).

Many expats leave their Dutch pension with the Dutch provider and receive it at retirement age.

Moving To the Netherlands

Ask the pension provider in the other country what is possible with your pension there, and ask your Dutch employer’s pension provider whether it accepts transfers. Many people keep their existing pension where it is, register with their Dutch employer’s scheme and track both at retirement.

UK

For a transfer between a Dutch and a UK scheme, ask both providers about the conditions that apply, and speak to a cross-border financial adviser if you have both Dutch and UK pensions.

Common Expat Pension Mistakes

1. Not checking mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl before leaving the Netherlands. Check it before you deregister, so you know which pension providers hold your pension.

2. Missing the voluntary AOW insurance window. You can apply from 2 months before you leave until 1 year after you started living or working abroad (SVB). Note this deadline when you leave.

3. Assuming the 30% ruling makes pension irrelevant. Ask HR whether your employer pension is calculated on your full salary or on the salary after the 30% allowance.

4. Not telling the pension provider your new address. Statements and offers are sent by post. Keep your contact details up to date with each provider.

5. Assuming EU membership means your pension moves automatically. It does not: ask the provider. Keep track of every pension you hold across countries.

6. Accepting a lump sum without advice. A lump sum is taxed and cannot be reversed. Ask a tax adviser first.

Pension and the 30% Ruling

The 30% ruling lets qualifying expats receive up to 30% of their salary as a tax-free allowance. For AOW (Pillar 1), the build-up depends on being insured, not on your salary. For Pillar 2, it depends on your scheme whether the pension base is your full salary or the reduced taxable salary. Ask HR or the pension provider. If it is the reduced salary, a private product (Pillar 3) may be worth discussing with an adviser. See our 30% ruling calculator guide for help with the numbers.

Salary Context

For wage benchmarks, see our average salary in the Netherlands guide, which uses CBS data. As an illustration of the AOW alone: 15 years of insurance gives about 30% of the full single amount, which is about €499 gross per month (our calculation on the SVB amount). The full gross AOW is not the whole retirement income for everyone, so check what your other pensions will add and compare it with your expected costs in the cost of living guide.

Key Resources and Tools

For tools to plan your Dutch finances, visit the tools page. The salary comparison tool gives a benchmark.

Conclusion

The most important things for an expat to do are:

1. Check mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl to see what you have built up.
2. Note the voluntary insurance deadline if you are leaving: within 1 year after you move abroad.
3. Ask your employer about your pension base, especially if you are on the 30% ruling.
4. Keep your pension provider’s contact details: address, member number, accrued entitlement.
5. Check the tax treaty question before you retire abroad.

For a ZZP or freelancer perspective on pension without an employer, read our ZZP guide for the Netherlands.