Postponing your AOW: is it legally possible?
Many people in Leiden wonder whether they can postpone their AOW (state pension) to receive a higher benefit later, as is possible under some foreign pension systems. The short answer is: no. In the Netherlands you cannot postpone — or bring forward — the start date of your AOW. This article explains the legal position and what you can do.
The AOW has a fixed start date
The AOW is governed by the General Old Age Pensions Act (AOW). Your AOW starts automatically on the first day of the month in which you reach the AOW age. In 2026 the AOW age is 67. The Social Insurance Bank (SVB) pays the AOW from that moment; you cannot move the start date back (or forward). If you keep working after your AOW age, you simply receive your AOW alongside your salary — postponing it for a higher benefit is not legally possible.
What can you postpone?
What people often mean by "postponing the AOW" is postponing their supplementary pension. That is different from the AOW:
- Supplementary (occupational) pension: with many pension funds you can bring forward or postpone the start date, often up to a few years after your AOW age. Postponing usually results in a higher monthly benefit. You arrange this with your pension provider, not with the SVB.
- Annuity or private pension: here too the start date is often flexible, within the tax rules.
The conditions for this are set out in your pension scheme rules and in the tax rules (Income Tax Act 2001), not in the AOW.
Bridging an income gap before your AOW
If you stop working before your AOW age, the opposite problem arises: an income gap until your AOW starts. You can cover this with, for example, an early supplementary pension, your own savings or — under conditions — the SVB's Bridging Benefit (OBR) for those who had an early-retirement pension before the AOW age was raised.
Tax points to note
Your AOW is taxed as income in box 1. Working alongside your AOW may push you into a higher tax bracket. The only "postponement" with a tax effect is administrative: if you apply for your AOW only after the end of the year in which you reach the AOW age, this can sometimes shift the taxation by a year. Have a tax adviser calculate this if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I postpone my AOW for a few years to get a higher benefit?
No. The AOW starts compulsorily at your AOW age. Postponing it for a higher benefit, as with a supplementary pension, is not possible with the AOW.
Can I instead have my AOW start earlier?
No, bringing it forward is not possible either. You can, however, often start your supplementary pension earlier or bridge an income gap with your own means.
What if I keep working after my AOW age?
You then simply receive your AOW alongside your salary. You no longer build up extra AOW, and your employer no longer pays AOW contributions on your wages.