Belgium Pension Reform: What Changes in 2027

Belgium’s major pension reform has officially been approved, and many of the new rules will start taking effect in 2027.

The reform changes how early retirement, pension bonuses and career years are counted. It also introduces new rules for employees, civil servants and self-employed workers.

The Belgian Parliament approved the pension law on May 28, 2026, and it was published in the Belgian Official Journal on June 1.

A New Penalty for Some Early Retirements

One of the biggest changes is the new pension penalty, known as the pension malus.

Starting in 2027, people who retire early can face a permanent reduction in their gross pension if they do not meet two new career conditions.

They must have:

• At least 35 career years with at least 156 days that count toward the malus conditions in each year
• At least 7,020 qualifying days over their entire career

Both conditions must be met to avoid the penalty. The penalty does not apply to someone who retires at the legal retirement age.

How Much Can the Pension Be Reduced?

The size of the penalty depends on the person’s year of birth.

For each year of early retirement, the reduction is:

•  Born in 1960 or earlier: 0%
• Born from 1961 to 1965: 2%
• Born from 1966 to 1974: 4%
•  Born in 1975 or later: 5%

The reduction is calculated according to how many months early a person retires and is permanent.

For example, someone born in 1975 who retires four years before the legal retirement age could face a 20% reduction if they do not meet the required career conditions.

Working Longer Can Bring a Pension Bonus

The reform also creates a new pension bonus for people who continue working after reaching the legal retirement age. To qualify, they must meet the required career conditions.

The new bonus can be built up for work performed from January 1, 2026, when the pension starts in 2027 or later.

The bonus rate varies according to the person’s year of birth, with the new system providing higher percentages for younger generations.

The Legal Retirement Age Is Not Changing Again

The reform does not change Belgium’s current legal retirement ages.

The legal retirement age is:

• 65 for people born before January 1, 1960
•  66 for people born from January 1, 1960 through December 31, 1963
• 67 for people born from January 1, 1964 onward

The existing early-retirement age and career requirements also remain in place, although the way career years are counted is changing.

A New Early Retirement Option From Age 60

From 2027, the reform will also create a new possibility for some people to retire from age 60 after a very long career with a high number of effectively worked days.

This is separate from the normal early-retirement rules and is part of the government’s effort to link pension rights more closely to actual work.

Civil Servants Face Major Changes

Civil servant pensions will also be affected. Today, a civil servant’s pension is generally calculated using the average salary of the final 10 years of the career.

For pensions starting in 2027 and later, the reference period will gradually become longer. Over time, the calculation will move toward a 45-year reference period, bringing it closer to the system used for employees.

Some special career calculations will also change. From 2027, preferential career fractions will generally move toward a standard 1/60 calculation, with some exceptions and transitional rules for certain groups, including parts of the education, police and firefighting sectors.

Early-retirement arrangements for some groups, including military personnel and certain railway workers, are also being phased out.

Self-Employed Workers Are Also Included

The reform applies to self-employed workers as well. The government says the new rules are designed to bring the pension systems for employees, civil servants and self-employed workers closer together.

For self-employed workers, the new rules also include the pension malus and the new pension bonus, subject to the required career conditions.

Unemployment Can Have an Impact on Future Pensions

The reform also changes how certain periods of unemployment and end-of-career arrangements are treated when calculating pensions for employees.

For pensions starting in 2027 or later, some periods of unemployment and end-of-career arrangements will be calculated using a limited reference salary, which can reduce the pension earned during those periods.

Another measure limiting the amount of certain equivalent periods used in pension calculations is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2027.

What Happens to MyPension?

The pension reform has also required major changes to Belgium’s MyPension system.

Because the way retirement dates and pension amounts are calculated is changing, some estimates were temporarily removed while the system was updated.

The Federal Pension Service says the new information is being restored in stages. The new pension amounts based on the reform are expected to return during the second half of 2027, while pension simulation tools are expected to be available again by the end of 2027.

People can still use MyPension to access other information and apply for their pension.

What About People Who Retire Before 2027?

People who retire in 2026 are not affected by the new pension reform in terms of their retirement date.

The Federal Pension Service also says that people who were already eligible for early retirement before 2027 and decide to postpone their retirement will not receive the new pension malus.

However, other new rules can still affect the eventual pension amount, depending on the person’s situation.

What This Means for Workers in Belgium

The pension reform is now law, but many of its most important changes will only become visible from 2027.

The main changes are a new penalty for some early retirees, a new bonus for certain people who continue working after the legal retirement age, changes to civil servant pensions and new rules for how some career periods are counted.

Anyone planning to retire in the coming years should check their personal situation rather than relying only on the old pension calculations.

Belgium’s Federal Pension Service is gradually updating MyPension with the new rules so people can see how the reform affects their own retirement date and pension amount.