Pension as a freelancer: your options
Updated on 12 July 2026 · 8 min read
As a freelancer in the Netherlands you do not build up a pension anywhere automatically. Not a disaster, but something to arrange yourself, and the earlier you start, the less it costs per month. This guide puts the options side by side honestly, explains the jaarruimte deduction and calculates what it actually saves you. Including the pitfalls providers prefer not to mention.
Nothing happens by itself
In employment your employer usually arranges the pension. As a freelancer nobody does that for you. The only thing that continues automatically is the AOW state pension: everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands accrues it. But the AOW is a basic provision around the social minimum; to keep your standard of living you need to add your own savings. Work out what you will be short per month from your AOW age: that is your target.
The options side by side
| Option | Tax advantage | Flexibility | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annuity or bank savings (lijfrente, using jaarruimte) | Contributions deductible, taxed only at payout | Low: money is locked until retirement | Disciplined building with a tax break |
| Investing or saving yourself | No deduction; assets count in box 3 | High: always accessible | Those who value flexibility over the deduction |
| Voluntarily continuing a former employer's fund | Premium deductible | Low | Ex-employees, shortly after leaving |
| Mandatory professional pension fund | Premium deductible | No choice: mandatory | A few professions, such as GPs and physiotherapists |
Many freelancers combine: use the jaarruimte for the tax advantage, and build a freely accessible buffer besides.
Option 1: annuity with the jaarruimte deduction
The best-known route is contributing to an annuity account (lijfrente) at a bank or broker. Contributions within your jaarruimte are deducted from your income: no tax now, only when the annuity pays out after your retirement date, usually at a lower rate.
In short: your 2026 jaarruimte is 30% of your contribution base, which is last year's income (capped at € 137,800) minus the AOW franchise of € 19,172, with a maximum of € 35,589 per year. Unused room from the past ten years can be caught up through the reserveringsruimte, up to € 42,753 extra. The full calculation is in the guide on the jaarruimte for freelancers, or use the free jaarruimte calculator.
What the deduction saves you
The deduction works at your marginal rate. Say your profit is € 60,000. After the self-employed deduction (€ 1,200 in 2026) and the 12.7% SME profit exemption your taxable income is about € 51,000, in the 37.56% bracket. Contribute € 5,000 to your annuity and you pay about € 1,900 less tax this year, so the contribution effectively costs you around € 3,100. In the top bracket of 49.5% (taxable income above € 79,137) the same contribution saves almost € 2,500. You do pay tax at payout, but usually at a lower rate: that difference is the gain.
Option 2: invest or save yourself
Fully flexible: you can always access your money, for a sabbatical, a renovation or a bad year. In exchange you get no deduction and the assets above the exemption count in box 3. It also takes discipline: money you can reach is money you will be tempted to spend.
Option 3: continuing your former employer's fund
Some pension funds let you voluntarily continue accrual in the first years after leaving employment. You pay the full premium yourself, including the former employer's part, which is often pricey. Ask soon after starting out: the window to register is limited.
The FOR: history only
The fiscal old-age reserve (FOR) was abolished in 2023 for new accrual. An old FOR balance must eventually be settled or converted into an annuity. If you are starting now, the FOR is irrelevant.
The pitfalls
- The money is locked. Annuity contributions are meant for payouts from your retirement date. Withdrawing earlier means tax over the full amount plus a penalty interest charged by the tax authority. Never contribute money you might need sooner.
- Returns are not guaranteed. Investments can drop, precisely when you want to stop working. The closer to retirement, the more defensive you generally want to be.
- Costs eat the accrual. Half a percent extra in yearly fees costs a serious part of your final capital over thirty years. Compare providers on costs.
When to start
The earlier the better: a euro contributed at thirty has over thirty years to grow. But pension is not your first priority. First cover your running obligations: setting aside tax and a buffer for quiet months, see the guide on setting aside tax as a freelancer. Then start small and fixed, and increase in good years. A common starting point is ten percent of revenue; the hourly rate calculator has a dedicated field for it.
How Finq helps
Arranging a pension starts with knowing what you earn and what you can spare. Finq's reports show your revenue, costs and profit per year, so you know what monthly contribution is realistic. And since the jaarruimte is based on last year's income, an up-to-date administration puts the number you need at hand. Start for free.
This guide is general information based on the 2026 figures, not financial or tax advice. For major pension decisions an independent adviser can be worthwhile.