Flexible pension

Flexible pensions can be taken up to five years before the normal retirement age and at any time after the retirement age. To retire earlier, you need to have more years of pensionable service.

If you want to retire

• up to 1 year earlier - at least 20 years of pensionable service
• up to 2 years earlier - at least 25 years of pensionable service
• up to 3 years earlier - at least 30 years of pensionable service
• up to 4 years earlier - at least 35 years of pensionable service
• up to 5 years earlier - at least 40 years of pensionable service

If you retire earlier, your pension will be lower and will not change when you reach retirement age. If you retire earlier, the average pension reduction in 2026 is as follows:

• 5 years earlier –30,67%
• 4 years earlier –25,50%
• 3 years earlier  –19,88%
• 2 years earlier  –13,78%
• 1 year earlier  –7,17%

Flexible pensions can also be taken at any time after the normal retirement age. To qualify, you must have at least 15 years of pensionable service in Estonia.

If you retire later, your pension will be higher. If you retire later, the average pension increase in 2026 will be as follows:

• 1 year later  +7,93%
• 2 years later  +16,88%
• 3 years later  +27,01%
• 4 years later  +38,50%
• after 5 years  +51,57%

The percentages of reduction and increase shown are based on the forecast. The specific reduction or increase percentage will be determined by your year and month of birth and the moment the pension is awarded.

In addition to the date of retirement, the reduction or increase depends on the life table of the Statistical Office and the interest rate of the European Central Bank bonds. These data are updated annually on 1 January. The percentage used to determine the pension will remain unchanged.

It is also possible to work while receiving a flexible pension, i.e. to receive pension and salary at the same time. Read more about working while receiving a pension.

In order to receive a pension, an application must be submitted to the Social Insurance Board:

You can submit a pension application:

• in our self service
• electronically digitally signed to the e-mail address: [email protected]
• by mail to the address Paldiski mnt 80, 15092 Tallinn
• in the customer service of the Social Insurance Board
   

When you come to customer service, please bring an identity document with you. This can be an ID card, a driver's license, an Estonian citizen's passport, a diplomatic passport, a seafarer's discharge book, an alien's passport, a temporary travel document, a travel document for a refugee, a certificate of record of service on ships, a certificate of return, a permit of return.

In the case of a foreign citizen, we check the existence and validity of a residence permit or right of residence from the population register.