Retired and working
You can work while retired and accrue additional pension up to the maximum pension age. However, please note the income limits for disability pension and career pension so you can work without worries.
For work done during retirement, pension accrues at 1.5% of the employee’s annual earnings and the entrepreneur’s YEL income. If you have worked while retired, remember to apply for the accrued pension by completing the old-age pension application in our online service.
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Working while on old-age pension
During old-age pension, you can work without any restrictions, and it will not affect the amount of your pension in payment. There are no earning limits.
You can apply for the pension accrued during old-age pension at the earliest from the beginning of the month following the attainment of the highest retirement age. The highest retirement age depends on your year of birth:
- 68 years for those born in 1957 or earlier
- 69 years for those born in 1958–1961
- 70 years for those born in 1962 or later
Therefore, you cannot apply for the additional accrual immediately after your employment ends, but only at the highest retirement age. Apply for the additional accrual by submitting a new old-age pension application in our online service about two weeks before your highest retirement age.
Employee signs a new employment contract
The employment relationship must end before old-age pension can be granted. If you start a new employment after retiring, make a new employment contract with your employer.
If you continue working immediately after retirement with the same employer, the terms of employment must change regarding salary, working hours, or job description. For example, you can switch from full-time to part-time work.
If you start working for a new employer or return to your previous employer after a break, no changes in employment terms are required.
Entrepreneur’s YEL insurance is voluntary
An entrepreneur can continue business activities during old-age pension without any restrictions and without YEL insurance or insurance contributions. We will automatically terminate the YEL insurance when your old-age pension begins.
If desired, the entrepreneur can take out voluntary YEL insurance during old-age pension. Pension accrues from voluntary YEL insurance at 1.5% of the YEL earned income. The accrued pension can be paid upon application at the highest retirement age.
Working while on partial old-age pension
During partial old-age pension, you can work freely without any earning limits.
If you work during partial old-age pension, your employer must insure your employment. If you plan changes to your employment, such as reducing working hours, you need to agree on this with your employer.
For entrepreneurs, YEL insurance must remain valid during partial old-age pension if the insurance conditions are still met. Learn more about the conditions for YEL insurance.
Working while on a disability pension
While on a disability pension, you can work up to your personal earnings limit without it affecting your pension payments. The earnings limit is calculated monthly. Earnings are considered gross, before taxes. In addition to monthly salary, bonuses, holiday pay, and other taxable income subject to withholding are included. For entrepreneurs, we monitor the YEL earned income.
A recipient of a full disability pension or rehabilitation allowance can earn 40% of their pre-disability income level alongside the pension. For partial disability pension and partial rehabilitation allowance, the limit is 60%.
With full or partial disability pension, you can always earn at least €986.30 per month (in 2025), even if your personal earnings limit is lower.
How do I know how much I can earn while on a disability pension?
You can find this information in our online service:
- If you have not yet applied for a pension and received a decision, you can check the earnings limit in the section “Pension record and estimates”.
- If you are already retired, your personal earnings limit is stated in your pension decision. The limit is reviewed annually. Your current earnings limit can be found on the homepage of our online service.
Also keep in mind the following if you work while on a disability pension
When working while on a disability pension, it’s good to also keep in mind:
- An entrepreneur’s YEL insurance must remain valid if the insurance conditions are still met. The confirmed YEL earned income must not exceed the earnings limit.
- If you receive a disability pension from both us and Kela at the same time, your earnings during the pension period may also affect the amount of pension paid by Kela.
- While on a pension, you accrue additional pension at a rate of 1.5% per year.
- You can apply to have this additional accrual paid out at the earliest when your pension changes to an old-age pension, provided your employment has ended. Otherwise, the addition is made only after your employment ends.
- You can check your retirement age by sending us a message in the online service for private customers.
Notify us if your earnings exceed the limit
Report immediately in our online service if your earnings exceed your personal earnings limit. Otherwise, your pension may later need to be suspended retroactively, which means you will have to repay pension payments made without justification. We also need a notification when your work ends if your pension has been suspended.
Suspension of disability pension payments
Payment of the disability pension can be suspended if your earnings exceed the limit for at least three consecutive months. The pension can be suspended for a minimum of three months and a maximum of two years.
After the suspension, your pension will resume without a new assessment of your work ability once your employment has ended or your earnings have fallen below the limit. A pension that has been suspended for more than two years will be terminated. Compliance with the suspension conditions is monitored monthly.
Working while on a Years-of-service pension
During a Years-of-service pension, you can work as long as your earnings stay within the earnings limit. The earnings limit is calculated monthly. Earnings are considered gross, before taxes. In addition to monthly salary, bonuses, holiday pay, and other taxable income subject to withholding are included.
On a Years-of-service pension, earnings may not exceed €986.30 per month (in 2025).
For entrepreneurs, YEL insurance must remain valid if the insurance conditions are still met. The confirmed YEL earned income must not exceed the earnings limit.
If the earnings limit is exceeded, the Years-of-service pension can be set to dormant status, similar to a disability pension. Report the excess by sending a message in our online service.
Good to know: recovery of pension paid without justification
If pension has been paid without justification, for example due to exceeding the earnings limit, we will generally recover the full amount. Before recovery begins, the pension recipient has the opportunity to request an adjustment of the amount.
If recovery is decided, you can contact us to arrange payment. The amount can be paid in one or several installments or offset against the pension currently being paid. Ultimately, it can be collected through enforcement. Contact us immediately if the agreed payment plan needs to be changed.
If needed, you can contact us regarding recovery by sending a message in our online service.
Different types of disability pensions
Disability pension can be granted
- permanently, i.e., until further notice as
- a disability pension or
- a partial disability pension
- for a fixed term as
- a rehabilitation allowance or
- a partial rehabilitation allowance.