What strokes will you use for the final stretch of your career?
Some people like to swim the backstroke to reach their retirement age, while others prefer freestyle, where they can swim further and for longer. Some people prefer the breaststroke, which makes it a bit easier because they can use floating aids. For some, the journey is cut short, and they have to stop working before they reach their retirement age.
Make sure to dive into the different retirement options and understand what they mean for you. This will help you make a smooth and informed transition into retirement. This page provides examples of different retirement options to help you plan.
1. Reduce your workload before retirement
You can opt for a partial old-age pension before you reach your retirement age and reduce your workload if you wish.
The partial old-age pension means that you take out part of your accrued pension. Remember that taking out a partial old-age pension before you reach your retirement age will permanently reduce your full pension. You can reduce the cutting impact on your pension by delaying your full retirement.
The age at which you can receive a partial old-age pension depends on your year of birth. For example,
if you were born in 1964, you can receive a partial old-age pension from the age of 62;
if you were born in 1963, you can receive a partial old-age pension from the age of 61.
2. Retirement at the retirement age
You can retire at your retirement age. Your retirement age depends on your year of birth.
Check your retirement age and estimate your pension amount using your pension record or the calculator on the Tyoelake.fi website.
3. Work for as long as possible
If you continue to work beyond your retirement age, your pension will increase permanently. You will receive an increase to your pension for retiring late and earn new pension for your work. The longer you defer your retirement and the longer you work, the better your pension will be.
Even if you receive a partial old-age pension, you can work past your retirement age and get a higher pension. If you don’t retire as soon as you reach your retirement age, the part of your pension that has not yet been paid out will increase. You will also earn additional pension for your work.
4. Working while receiving an old-age pension
You can work and earn more pension while receiving your old-age pension. However, you will not get the increment for late retirement because you are already getting an old-age pension while working.
You must claim the pension you earn for working while receiving a pension. You can claim it as soon as you reach the age at which you no longer need pension insurance. That age depends on your year of birth.
5. Falling ill before reaching your retirement age
If you suffer from an illness, defect or disability that prevents you from working, either fully or partially, find out about your options for vocational rehabilitation, a disability pension or a years-of-service pension.
A disability pension can only be granted if your illness, defect or disability has affected your ability to work for at least one year, usually after the period of sickness benefit paid by Kela. You may get a full or partial, permanent or temporary disability pension.
Example calculation of Sarah’s pension
Sarah looks at her pension record and thinks about her retirement options. The record states that, by the end of 2024, she has earned a monthly pension of 1,600 euros. Her retirement age is 65, and at 70, she no longer needs pension insurance. Sarah was born on 15 February 1964, so she turned 61 in February 2025. Her regular monthly income is 3,000 euros.
Below are a few examples of how the different retirement options affect Sarah’s old-age pension. The example calculations do not include the effects of indexation. The amounts are gross amounts, that is, before taxes.
Sarah opts for a 50-per cent partial old-age pension at the age of 62, that is, three years before she reaches her retirement age.
- Sarah gets a monthly partial old-age pension of around 705 euros.
Sarah continues working part-time alongside her partial old-age pension until she reaches her retirement age of 65, earning €1,500 per month for her work.
- Sarah gets a monthly pension of around 1,601 euros.
Sarah keeps swimming in the workforce for an additional year and retires at 66.
- Sarah gets a monthly pension of around 1,666 euros.
Sarah retires as soon as she reaches her retirement age of 65.
- Sarah gets a monthly old-age pension of around 1,783 euros.
Sarah continues working with a monthly income of 3,000 euros and delays taking her old-age pension by two years. She earns pension for her work and her pension is increased because she retires late.
- Sarah gets a monthly old-age pension of around 2,048 euros at age 67.
Seija retires at her earliest retirement age of 65 and gets a monthly pension of around 1,783 euros. In addition, she works alongside her pension for three years with a monthly income of 1,500 euros and earns additional pension from her work.
Sarah can apply for the additional pension at age 70, after which her monthly total old-age pension will be around 1,847 euros.
Sarah’s journey is cut short, and she is forced to take a disability pension at the age of 62.
- Sarah gets a monthly disability pension of around 1,783 euros. If it is granted as a partial disability pension, she gets a monthly partial disability pension of around 892 euros.
Select your year and month of birth. The calculator will tell you when you can retire.
Your target retirement age
Target retirement age is not calculated for people born after .
Maximum pensionable age
Use the calculator to estimate your old-age pension
You can estimate your old-age pension using the pension calculator.