As employee of a practice of architects ('architectenbureau') in the Netherlands, you automatically participate in our pension scheme.

This entitles you to a future monthly pension ('ouderdomspensioen') from Pensioenfonds voor de Architectenbureaus, regardless of where you will then reside. From the moment of retirement you will receive this pension the rest of your life.

Further to that, in case of your death, the scheme provides an income to your partner ('partnerpensioen') and children less than 18 years old ('wezenpensioen').

State pensions and benefits

Our pension scheme is additional to the basic state pension ('AOW') for people who have reached their AOW pension age. If you live or work in the Netherlands, you will almost certainly be insured under the AOW scheme. AOW pension is paid by the SVB.

Like most other schemes, employer and employee share the costs of your pension. These contributions ('pensioenpremies') are not liable to tax. Your personal contribution is taken from your gross salary.

As pension schemes are additional to the basic state pension AOW, part of your salary is not included in the build up of pension. The scheme is based on the pension base salary ('pensioengrondslag'), which is the annual salary minus the AOW deductible ('franchise').

In 2024 the AOW deductible for our pension scheme is set at € 17.545,00. Calculated from the pension base salary that remains after deduction, your pension build up is 1,738%. The scheme has a maximum salary above which no pension is built up nor pension contribution collected. For 2024 this maximum salary is set at € 85.770,00.

Pension statements

Contributing members receive a yearly statement ('Uniform Pensioenoverzicht' or 'UPO') of their pension build up. Persons who leave our scheme get this statement every five years.

Address changes

We are automatically notified by your municipality of address changes in the Netherlands. When moving abroad you're responsible for keeping us updated with your latest details.

Most Dutch workers build up pension with a few employers for a relatively long time. When they change jobs they have the opportunity to transfer their pension build up to their new pension scheme. If you continue your career outside our country you have the same possibility, as long as your new pension scheme qualifies. These are your options.

Pension transfer

If you change jobs but continue to work for a practice of architects, you will probably continue to participate in our pension scheme. If your career brings you to another industry in the Netherlands, you will switch to theirs. In that case you principally have the opportunity to transfer your pension ('waardeoverdracht'). To start this process, contact your new pension fund. If you choose to transfer your pension to another pension fund, you will no longer be entitled to receive a pension and future wage increases from Pensioenfonds voor de Architectenbureaus.

Since a couple of years you can transfer your pension build up to a qualifying pension scheme abroad. The DNB provides information about this process on their website. Some Dutch pension funds are in a situation of financial recovery and therefore not allowed to process requests for pension transfer. Check with your new pension fund and us what the actual situation is.

Automatic transfer small pension

A small pension is a pension build up less than € 592,51 (2024) a year. This limit will be set every year. Small pensions will be automatically transferred to your new Dutch pension scheme. If you don’t have a new Dutch pension scheme after 5 years Pensioenfonds voor de Architectenbureaus will buy you out. You have to give your permission for this buy-out.

When you start to think of your retirement, it is good to know that our pension scheme has a lot of flexibility. The choices are the same for participating members of our pension fund and people who have left the scheme years ago. Amongst others, you can set your own retirement date, between 62 and 72 years. This will logically affect the level of your pension.

Please contact us well in advance about your retirement plans. You have the right to your pension, wherever you choose to reside. If you live abroad during retirement, we require a regular statement that you're still alive from a local authority.