With effect from 1 January 2019, the AOW retirement age was raised to 66 years and four months. And after 2019, the AOW retirement age will continue to rise to take into account rising life expectancy in the Netherlands. At what age will your AOW start paying out? And how much will you get? Let us explain.

AOW stands for Algemene Ouderdomswet, which is the Old Age (Pensions) Act under which the Dutch state pays out a base pension to all Dutch citizens. With people generally getting older, the number of AOW pension recipients is growing and the number of years they receive AOW benefits is rising as well. This is pushing up costs of AOW pensions, while the Dutch workforce paying for the AOW is declining.

No influence on your AOW retirement age
Your AOW retirement age is determined by law and is linked to your age. This means you have no influence on it. Since 2013, the AOW retirement age has been raised gradually every year, to reach 67 years of age in 2021. Use the calculation tool to find out your current AOW retirement age.

By 2022, the AOW retirement age will be 67 years and three months. Further rising of the AOW retirement age after 2022 will depend on life expectancy in the Netherlands. If people continue to grow older on average, the AOW retirement age will continue to be raised in three-month steps. The AOW retirement age for 2023 has been determined based on the latest life expectancy figures published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). It will be 67 years and three months, just like in 2022, because life expectancy is rising less steeply than in previous years.

Adjustment of AOW benefits
The amount of AOW benefits paid out is adjusted annually in line with wage developments. If you live in with a partner, you’ll receive a lower amount of AOW benefits than if you're single. And if you lived abroad for any amount of time, your AOW benefits could be lower.

The Social Insurance Bank (Sociale Verzekeringsbank) executes the AOW on behalf of the Dutch state. Visit the website for a list of AOW amounts before and after tax, based on uninterrupted AOW eligibility. Log in here with your DigiD to find out how much AOW you’ll get. Your AOW will start paying out from the day you reach your AOW retirement age.