The AOW Bridge: What Dutch Expats and Early Retirees Need to Know

If you have spent time living or working outside the Netherlands, even a few years, it is worth understanding how that affects your AOW before you reach retirement age. The good news is that the system is straightforward once you know how it works, and there are clear steps you can take now to avoid surprises later. 💚

This guide covers how AOW builds up, what happens to it if you have lived abroad, and how to plan for the years before it starts.

1. What AOW is and how it builds up

AOW (Algemene Ouderdomswet) is the Dutch state pension, paid by the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) from your AOW age until the end of your life. You build it up automatically for every year you are insured, which generally means every year you live or work in the Netherlands, starting from age 17.

The full pension is built up over 50 years, with each insured year adding 2%. If you have been insured for all 50 years before reaching your AOW age, you receive 100% of the AOW amount for your situation. If you have fewer insured years, for example because you lived abroad for a period, your AOW is reduced by 2% for each year you were not insured.

Simple action: If you have ever lived outside the Netherlands as an adult, even temporarily, note down the years involved. You will need this when checking your AOW build-up later.

2. Your AOW age: what it is now, and where it's heading

The AOW age is 67 for both 2026 and 2027. From 2028, it rises to 67 years and 3 months. The government reviews the AOW age periodically and links future increases to life expectancy, so it is worth checking your personal AOW age periodically rather than assuming it will stay the same.

You can find your exact AOW age, based on your date of birth, using the AOW age checker on NederlandWereldwijd. This is especially useful if you are planning around a specific date, such as a planned move or retirement.

💡 Tip: If you are a few years away from your AOW age, check it again closer to the time. The government typically announces changes to the AOW age at least five years in advance, so there should be no last-minute surprises, but it is one less thing to assume.

3. Living or working abroad: the 2% you don't want to lose

If you move abroad and are no longer insured under the Dutch social security system, each year away reduces your eventual AOW by 2%. Over a decade abroad, for example, that could mean a 20% reduction in your AOW, which adds up over what could be 20 or more years of retirement.

There is a way to prevent this: voluntary AOW insurance through the SVB. To qualify, you generally need to have been insured in the Netherlands for at least one year, and you must apply within one year of leaving the country. Voluntary insurance can cover up to 10 years, and the premium in 2026 is 17.9% of your income, with a minimum of around €569 and a maximum of around €5,693 per year depending on your earnings.

Example: If you moved abroad in 2024 for a 5-year work contract and did not arrange voluntary insurance, those 5 years would reduce your AOW by 10% once you reach AOW age. If you had applied for voluntary insurance within a year of leaving, those years would still count toward your full build-up.

4. Early retirement: bridging the gap before AOW starts

If you plan to stop working before your AOW age, you will need another source of income to cover the gap, since AOW does not start early. Until the end of 2024, some people who had built up AOW under the old rules could apply for a temporary overbruggingsuitkering (bridging benefit) if they faced financial difficulty during this gap. That scheme ended on 31 December 2024 and is no longer available.

This means that if you are planning to retire early now, the gap between stopping work and reaching your AOW age needs to be covered from your own pension savings, employer pension, or other income. The earlier you map this out, the more options you have, including whether to draw down savings, start a workplace pension earlier, or adjust your retirement date.

Simple action: Work out the number of years between your planned retirement date and your AOW age, then estimate what income you will need each year to cover that gap. This number is the starting point for any conversation with a pension adviser.

5. If your AOW is incomplete: the AIO safety net

If you reach your AOW age and your AOW, combined with any other pension income, falls below the social minimum, you may be entitled to the Aanvullende Inkomensvoorziening Ouderen (AIO), a top-up benefit administered by the SVB. How much you receive depends on your income and your living situation, whether you live alone, with a partner, or with someone else.

The AIO exists specifically for people whose AOW build-up is incomplete, often because of years spent living or working abroad, so it is worth knowing it is there even if voluntary insurance was not an option for your situation.

💡 Tip: The AIO is not paid automatically. If your AOW turns out to be lower than expected, you generally need to apply for it separately through the SVB.

6. How to check your build-up and plan ahead

The clearest way to see exactly where you stand is through your mijnAOW account on the SVB website, which shows your personal AOW build-up based on your insured years to date. If you have lived abroad, it is worth checking this well before your AOW age, ideally at least a year or two out, so you have time to look into voluntary insurance, additional pension contributions, or adjusting your retirement plans if needed.

Checking your AOW build-up is one of those things that is easy to put off until it feels urgent, but the numbers are fixed by your history of insured years, and the earlier you understand where you stand, the more choices you have. A short check now could make a meaningful difference to your income later. 💛

If you are weighing up whether to retire in the Netherlands or elsewhere, our guide on Returning to Ireland to Retire covers similar planning questions for another market. For more support, visit our Assistance page or explore the Una guides.