Retirement Calculator Netherlands: Pension, AOW & FIRE
Use this retirement calculator for the Netherlands to estimate your projected portfolio, retirement income from AOW, employer pension and private investments, an estimated FIRE target, and the bridge needed if you retire before AOW begins. Results are projections based on your inputs and assumptions, not forecasts.
Last reviewed: 7 October 2026 Methodology: Based on official SVB / Belastingdienst rules Confirmed rules: 2026 tax brackets & rates
A · Current profile
32 yrs
55 yrs
€ / month
Has fiscal partner?
Partners receive a lower individual AOW but a doubled Box 3 allowance.
B · Pillars 1 & 2 (Dutch system)
€ / month
Find this figure on Mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl.
years
C · Private investments for your bridge
€
€ / month
7.0%
2.5%
4.0%
Based on your assumptions
Projected retirement portfolio: € 770.640
At age 55, the model projects € 770.640compared with an estimated FIRE target of € 578.872. Difference: € 191.768 above the estimated target.
FIRE number
€ 578.872
€ 385.396 bridge (12 yrs) + € 193.476 post-AOW
Estimated AOW (model age 67)
€ 620/mo
40% entitlement from 20 Dutch years
Income from model age 67
€ 3.500/mo
€ 620 AOW + € 1.800 employer + € 1.080 portfolio
Income at 55
€ 3.500/mo
Funded entirely by private portfolio withdrawals
Your plan at a glance (estimated)
Planned retirement age
55
Annual spending target
€ 42.000
Investments at retirement
€ 770.640
AOW + employer pension
€ 29.040/yr
Estimated FIRE target
€ 578.872
Estimated surplus
€ 191.768
Based on your assumptions, projected investments exceed the estimated target. Try an earlier retirement age or lower return to test the margin.
Net wealth projection (inflation-adjusted)
Monthly income stream by source
Understanding the Dutch pension system
Pillars 1-3
The 3 Dutch Pension Components
Pillar 1 (AOW): Mandatory state pension. Rights generally build at 2% for each insured year during the 50-year insurance period before your AOW pension age, reaching 100% after 50 insured years.
Pillar 2 (Workplace): Employer pension built through a workplace scheme, often funded by both employer and employee. Track your entitlements via Mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl.
Pillar 3 (Lijfrente): A qualifying private pension or lijfrente. Contributions may be deductible only when you have available jaarruimte or reserveringsruimte and meet the tax conditions; later payouts are generally taxed in Box 1.
Tip: Expat note: AOW generally builds at 2% per insured year. Moving to the Netherlands later can mean a partial AOW pension.
Tax Rules
Using Jaarruimte
Box 1 Income Tax Deduction: Contributions to a qualifying Pillar 3 product may be deductible up to your available jaarruimte or reserveringsruimte. A deposit is not automatically deductible.
Box 3 Exemption: Capital held inside a qualifying pension or lijfrente product is generally outside Box 3 while the product meets the applicable conditions.
Tax outcome: The actual deduction and eventual tax result depend on your pension shortfall, available room, taxable income, product and personal circumstances.
Tip: Check your personal jaarruimte and reserveringsruimte with the Belastingdienst before contributing.
FIRE Bridge
The Early Retirement Model
Pension assets: AOW starts at your statutory AOW age. Pillar 2 and pillar 3 pensions usually pay out from the scheme or contract retirement date — some schemes allow earlier or later start dates within limits, while cashing out a pillar 3 product early is generally taxed unfavourably.
Early-retirement bridge: Ordinary savings and investments are generally accessible before pension age and usually fall in Box 3. They can fund the period before AOW and pension payments begin.
Later retirement income: Once AOW and employer-pension payments begin, the model reduces the amount drawn from ordinary investments.
Tip: Keep the access restrictions of pension assets separate from the liquid investments needed before pension income starts.
Dutch State Pension Age (AOW) Evolution
AOW Timeline
The confirmed AOW age is 67 in 2026 and 2027, and 67 years and 3 months from 2028 through 2031. Check your personal AOW date with SVB rather than extending this table beyond confirmed years.
The Dutch pension system combines AOW with employer pension arrangements and individual pension products such as lijfrente. Your AOW entitlement generally builds at 2% for each insured year during the 50-year insurance period before your AOW age, so people who move to the Netherlands later in life may have a partial AOW entitlement.
Ordinary savings and investments in Box 3 are different from pension assets. They can be relevant when planning early retirement because they may provide a bridge between leaving work and the age when AOW or other pension income begins. Use the Box 3 calculator to estimate tax on ordinary assets and the Dutch income tax calculator for a separate salary and Box 1 estimate.
For current AOW-age information, check your personal AOW age with SVB. The confirmed statutory ages are 67 in 2026 and 2027 and 67 years and 3 months from 2028 through 2031. Future ages should not be assumed from a long-term projection. For a broader view of retirement, tax, savings and housing goals, use the Expat Finance Planner.
FIRE and retiring early in the Netherlands
As a pension calculator for the Netherlands, this tool combines three sources: estimated AOW, your employer pension and private investments. FIRE (financial independence, retire early) in the Netherlands usually means funding two phases: a bridge from your retirement age until AOW starts, paid entirely from savings or investments, and a later phase where AOW and pension income cover part of your spending.
Private investments are generally taxed in Box 3 each year, which the model includes as friction using 2026 figures from the site's tax data. 2027 Box 3 changes are still proposals, so check the 2027 tax changes guide. Pension payouts and AOW are taxed in Box 1 — see the Dutch tax system guide.
Tax optimisation tip: Contributions to a qualifying private lijfrente may be deductible from Box 1 income up to your available jaarruimte. Capital in a qualifying product is generally outside Box 3 while it remains subject to pension-product access and payout rules.
This is a projection, not a prediction. Investment returns, inflation, pension entitlements and future tax rules may differ substantially from these assumptions. AOW amounts are 2026 gross estimates, Box 3 friction uses the 2026 investment yield and tax rate from the site's tax data, and returns are shown in today's money. The default 7% return, 2.5% inflation and 4% withdrawal rate are assumptions, not forecasts. Not financial advice.
Common questions about Dutch retirement age, AOW, pensions and early retirement.
What is the retirement age in the Netherlands?
The statutory AOW age is 67 in 2026 and 2027 and 67 years and 3 months from 2028 through 2031. Check SVB for your personal AOW age and current rules.
How is Dutch AOW calculated?
AOW generally builds at 2% for each insured year during the 50-year period before your AOW age. A person who was not insured for part of that period may receive a lower AOW entitlement.
How much do I need to retire early in the Netherlands?
This calculator estimates a FIRE target from your target retirement income, withdrawal-rate assumption and the modelled income available later in retirement. The result is an estimate based on your inputs, not a prediction.
Can I retire before AOW age?
Early retirement can require a separate bridge funded by assets or pension income that is available before AOW starts. Employer and private pension arrangements can have their own access and payout rules.
Frequently asked questions
How much AOW state pension will I get if I moved to the Netherlands as an adult?
AOW generally builds at 2% for each year you are insured during the 50-year period before your AOW age. If you move to the Netherlands later, uninsured years can reduce the full amount. Check your personal record and AOW date with SVB; pension rights from other countries are separate.
What are the three main parts of a Dutch retirement income?
They are AOW state pension, employer pension built through a workplace scheme, and private pension such as a qualifying lijfrente. Ordinary savings and Box 3 investments are separate from these pension components and may provide flexible income before pension payments begin.
What is the Dutch retirement age and when will my AOW start?
The confirmed AOW age is 67 in 2026 and 2027 and 67 years 3 months from 2028 through 2031. Later ages should not be assumed before they are officially confirmed. Use SVB's personal AOW-age checker for your date.
Can I retire early in the Netherlands before AOW starts?
You can stop working earlier if you can fund the gap. AOW cannot be brought forward, and employer or private pensions follow their scheme or contract rules. This calculator models an early-retirement bridge using ordinary investments until AOW and pension income begin.
What is jaarruimte and how do I calculate mine?
Jaarruimte is personal pension contribution room calculated from your income and pension shortfall, including employer-pension accrual. Only contributions to qualifying products within available jaarruimte or reserveringsruimte may be deductible. Use the Belastingdienst calculation tool for the relevant year.
What is the difference between pension assets and Box 3 investments?
Qualifying employer and private-pension assets are generally restricted until the scheme or contract allows payment and are usually outside Box 3. Ordinary savings, ETFs and other investments are normally accessible and may fall in Box 3, making them useful for an early-retirement bridge.
What happens to my Dutch pension if I leave the Netherlands?
Accrued AOW and employer-pension rights generally remain, but payment, tax, social-security and lijfrente rules can depend on your destination and treaty position. Inform your providers, check your records with SVB and Mijnpensioenoverzicht, and obtain advice before moving or changing a pension product.
Calculator tax, benefit and pension parameters are based on relevant official publications. Market rates and personal entitlements can differ. Calculations are indicative estimates, not official assessments or financial or tax advice.
Tax rules, rates and regulations can change. If you spot an inaccurate figure, calculation, assumption or missing option — or have a suggestion for additional options or calculator features — please let us know.