Pension information

Much has changed in our society in recent years. People no longer work for a single employer their whole lives, but change jobs more frequently. Or they become self-employed and start their own business. People are also living longer and therefore receive a pension for a longer period. That is why it was necessary to change the rules. 

On 1 July 2023, the Future Pensions Act (WTP) took effect. New pension rules will make it possible to increase pensions faster. And your pension build-up will better match your career. The new rules will apply to everyone, even if you are already retired. 

The new rules have been in force since 1 July 2023, but pension funds have until 1 January 2028 to switch to the new pension system. ABP will switch on 1 January 2027.

Much will remain the same. For instance, the State Pension (AOW) will remain unchanged, and employers and employees will continue to contribute in the same proportion. However, some changes are being introduced. The pension contribution rate will remain the same for both older and younger employees, but the revised scheme no longer provides for age-dependent accrual in the sense of a guaranteed accrual percentage. As a result, employees over the age of 40 will face a shortfall in pension accrual. For the first half of their career, they will have received ‘too little’ accrual for their contributions, but in the second half of their career they will no longer receive ‘too much’ accrual, as is the case under the current system. For this reason, it has been agreed in the Pension Agreement that the shortfall will be compensated by pension providers, such as ABP. 

On the ABP website, you can find out who is entitled to compensation and how it is calculated. ABP will announce the exact amount of compensation per employee after 1 January 2027. If ABP’s financial position is sound enough on 1 January 2027, the compensation will be paid in a single lump sum into the employee’s pension account.

You are entitled to compensation if you:

• are aged between 40 and 68 on 1 January 2027 and
• are employed by VU Amsterdam or another ABP employer on 31 December 2026

You also retain your entitlement to compensation if you:

• are receiving a disability pension from ABP on 31 December 2026, or
• are no longer employed by VU Amsterdam or another ABP employer on 31 December 2026, but are subsequently receiving unemployment benefit from the UWV following that employment (on 31 December 2026), or
• your employment with the ABP employer ends in 2026 and you subsequently, for example as a self-employed person, voluntarily continue to accrue pension (employee’s share of the contribution and employer’s share), or
• you are accruing a non-contributory pension with ABP because you are (partially) incapacitated for work, or
• your employment with VU Amsterdam ends in 2026, but you also have another employment contract with an ABP-affiliated employer and that second employment contract still exists on 31 December 2026

The compensation is calculated based on 

1. your age on 1 January 2027, 
2. the pensionable income in 2026 and 
3. the average part-time factor in 2026. 

If the pension base or part-time factor changes in 2026, this may therefore affect the amount of the compensation. This is the case, for example, if you start working fewer hours. The compensation may also be lower if the contribution rate changes, as is the case under the Unemployment Benefits Act (WW) and the Work and Income (Capacity for Work) Act (WIA).

For all types of paid or unpaid leave, the part-time factor and pensionable earnings remain unchanged. As pension contributions continue to be paid in these situations, you retain your entitlement to compensation.

Your entitlement to compensation lapses if, before 1 January 2027, you start working for another employer who is not a member of the ABP and who does not offer compensation through another pension fund either. You cannot voluntarily continue your membership with the ABP if your new employer requires you to join another pension fund.

For further information (and sample calculations), visit the ABP website:

 https://www.abp.nl/over-abp/het-vernieuwde-pensioenstelsel (in Dutch)

Or contact ABP customer service:

T: 045 579 60 70 (on working days between 8.00 am and 5.30 pm)

E: https://www.abp.nl/contact/e-mailsturen

ABP has developed a checklist in which you can quickly and easily find answers to important questions about your pension. For example, what do you have to arrange when you enter or leave employment? What if you have to deal with illness or disability? What are the consequences of working more or less for your pension? And what should you do if you retire or are considering using the ABP optional pension (KeuzePensioen)?

The checklist is only available in Dutch. You can open the pension checklist here.

ABP has developed an app with which you are well informed and prepared when retirement is approaching. You can download the pension app on both Android and iPhone.

Your pension has been arranged for you in broad terms, but you can also opt for supplementary pension products: 

• You may wish to insure yourself against loss of income in case of full or partial disability: a group disability insurance scheme (IPAP) is available for this purpose. 
• You may wish to stop working (completely or partially) and take ABP optional pension (KeuzePensioen). This is possible from the 1st day of the month that you reach the age of 60 and for at least 10% of your working time.
• If you have been sent abroad for an extended period and/or you are taking advantage of the thirty percent ruling scheme: your gross salary (and pension accrual) have thus been temporarily reduced. You can opt to negate this reduction of pension accrual. 

If you become occupationally disabled, you may be entitled to an occupational disability pension. The disability pension supplements your assets. The amount depends on various conditions.

You may also be entitled to non-contributory pension accrual. There are also various conditions attached to this. More information about disability pension and non-contributory pension accrual can be found at www.abp.nl. 

VU Amsterdam finds it important that you know what the possibilities are with your ABP pension. This is why VU organises a pension presentation and workshop for employees in cooperation with ABP. You will be informed about this through the regular communication channels. The most recent presentation was on 19 June 2025. You can get an impression by viewing the presentation slides (pdf).

It is also possible to get a personal consultation with a pension specialist for more complex issues or tailor-made advice. For this, you contact ABP customer service yourself. This meeting will take place digitally (via Teams).  

If you have a question about your pension, see if you can find the answer to your question on ABP's FAQ page.

MijnABP allows you to make your own calculations and put together your own pension. You log on to MijnABP with your DigiD.

ABP is there to help you. For example, with the pension overview you receive every year. Your personal digital file on MijnABP is an extension of this.

If you cannot find the answer on the ABP website or in MijnABP, you can call the ABP customer service. There is a list of their telephone numbers on the ABP website. Please have your client number at hand when calling.