Working while on pension

No income limits apply when receiving old-age pension or partial early old-age pension. Several other types of pension are subject to various income restrictions, however.

Pension accrues in the amount of 1.5% of annual earnings regardless of pension type.

Because new pension accrues from work performed while on pension, pension insurance contributions will be withheld from your income.

Because pension is taxed differently from employment income, you will require two tax rates: one for the payment of your current pension and one for your employment income

Pension that has accrued for employment while on pension can only be paid after you have applied for it: Have you worked while on pension?.

Working while on old-age pension

You can work as much as you want while you are on old-age pension. New pension will accrue to you until you turn 68 and even longer if you were born after 1957. 

Year of birth Upper age limit at which pension accrues
1955 68y
1956 68y
1957 68y
1958 69y
1959 69y
1960 69y
1961 69y
1962–1964 70y
1965– to be confirmed

You can apply for a pension once you reach the upper age limit at which pension accrues even though your employment relationship continues. New pension is no longer accrued on earnings received following the month in which you reach the upper age limit.

Working while on partial early old-age pension

No income limits apply when on partial early old-age pension.

You and your employer are free to agree how much or how little you wish to work. You do not need to stop working, or even cut back on your hours, but if you wish, you can work shorter hours or stop working altogether.

Working while on disability pension and earnings limits

You can work while on disability pension. If you are gainfully employed while drawing a pension, be sure to apply for the pension that has accrued to you for this work when your disability pension is converted into old-age pension and you stop working.

When drawing a full disability pension, you can earn the amount you see in your pension decision. In any case, you can earn at least €976.59 a month from 1 January 2024.

When drawing a partial disability pension, you can earn in accordance with the personal earnings limit stated in the partial disability/partial disability cash rehabilitation benefit payment decision. From 1 January 2024, however, you can earn at least €976.59 euroa kuukaudessa a month.

The earnings limit is reviewed each year using an index.

Pay increases when drawing a pension do not increase the earnings limit.

If your earnings exceed the earnings limit, your pension may be left dormant.

Leaving pension dormant  

If you wish to try returning to work such and this will cause you to exceed your income limit, you have the option of leaving your pension dormant. Pension may be left dormant for a period of not less than three months and not more than two years. After two years, a dormant pension will be terminated.

Dormancy means that the payment of your disability pension is suspended for the duration of your employment. if your employment ends, payment of the disability pension is resumed upon request.

The option of leaving disability pension dormant is intended to support work try-outs without fear of losing the pension. The aim is to encourage people on disability pension to return to work that is more suited to them.

Disability pension may again be left dormant after a break of as little as one month.

The request for dormancy should be made well before starting work in order to avoid any clawback of pension.