Skip to main content

Pension question, Netherlands

Do I build up AOW while living abroad?

In the Netherlands, each year insured under AOW builds an equal share of a full AOW pension, so every year not insured reduces it. Voluntary AOW insurance, which keeps AOW building up while living or working abroad, must be applied for before leaving the Netherlands or within one year after leaving.

This page in Dutch

What to do next

  1. Write down the date you left the Netherlands and every year you lived or worked abroad since.
  2. Check whether that date is still inside the window for voluntary insurance.
  3. Run our free check to see which countries may hold a pension for the years you were away.

Check your own working life for free

Tell us where you worked. The free check shows which countries may hold a pension for you, and which can be ruled out and why. No sign in, no charge.

Run the free check

Questions people also ask

What are the conditions for voluntary AOW insurance?

SVB: you can take out voluntary AOW insurance if, during the 50-year build-up period, you start living or working outside the Netherlands, you apply for voluntary insurance within 1 year of the date on which you start living or working outside the Netherlands, and you had not yet reached your AOW pension age.

Do you give advice on what to do?

No. We identify where a pension is likely held and the official route to it, and we name each source with the date we read it. We do not give financial, tax or legal advice.