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Frontier worker pension from Belgium
If you live in Belgium and work in the Netherlands as a frontier worker, you can get a supplementary frontier worker pension from Belgium, even if you have never worked in Belgium. The pension is paid by the National Pensions Office (Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen, RVP).
From what age can you get a frontier worker pension?
The standard pensionable age is 65, but you can start to receive your old age pension from an earlier age if you have built up pension rights for a sufficient number of years (career condition). This includes any years in which you built up rights to a pension in a country other than Belgium.
- In 2012, you can take early retirement when you reach the age of 60 and have accrued pension rights for 35 years or more.
If your Belgian pension starts on or after 1 January 2013, a higher minimum age and other career conditions will apply. For more information, consult the RVP news report Pension reforms.
If you are not yet 65 and receive an early retirement pension from the Netherlands, you will get a full frontier worker pension. If you also receive an early supplementary pension, this will not affect your frontier worker pension.
What will be the amount of your frontier worker pension?
The frontier worker pension you build up in a particular year is calculated as follows: 1/45 x 60% or 75% x fixed daily amount x number of days in the calendar year. For 2011, for example, the fixed daily amount was € 115.82. The number of working days per year for a full-time worker is 312. The percentage that will be applied for you will depend on your situation on the commencing date of your pension. If you are married and your partner does not have an income, you will get 75%; in all other cases, you will get 60%.
Where can you claim a frontier worker pension?
If you live in Belgium when you want to submit your claim, you should apply to the pension service of your municipality, or to a regional office of the National Pensions Office (RVP) for the frontier worker pension.