General information on the flexible retirement scheme

General information

If you reach the age of 62 and have earned enough months of insurance (480 months = 40 years), you can take a corridor pension. If you retire before the standard retirement age, there are deductions. Conversely, if you retire after the standard retirement age, you will be rewarded with a higher pension.

Discontinuation of benefits under the scheme

The corridor pension is forfeited if, while drawing the pension, a gainful activity is pursued that results in compulsory insurance in the statutory pension insurance scheme (due to employment or self-employment). The pension ceases for the duration of the compulsory pension insurance.

Exceeding the monthly marginal earnings threshold (518.44 Euro in 2024) no longer automatically leads to the automatically lead to the loss of pension benefits, provided that the excess is only minor
(annually no more than 40 percent of the monthly low income threshold, around 207 Euro in 2024).

A corridor pension that has been discontinued will be revived if the aforementioned points no longer apply.

Flexible retirement scheme and unemployment support

If a person already meets the eligibility requirements for the flexible retirement scheme (minimum age: 62), they may continue receiving unemployment benefits for one year if they did not terminate their last employment relationship themselves or if they were not endeavouring to terminate that relationship or otherwise responsible for that termination. More detailed information on specific topics can be obtained from the relevant regional branch of the Public Employment Service. This ensures that the flexible retirement scheme remains voluntary.

Affected

In principle, the flexible retirement scheme applies in the same way to both men and women. As it is open to individuals aged 62 and older, however, women are unable to benefit from this scheme until 2028. Only from 2028 the retirement age for the regular old-age pension for women will be above the age of 62.

Requirements

Since 2017, in order to be eligible for the flexible retirement scheme individuals must have completed 480 insurance months (40 years) by the time of their 62nd birthday.

Deadlines

The application must be submitted no later than the end of the last month before entering retirement.

Competent authority

The competent pension insurance institution

Procedure

In order for a procedure to determine pensionability to take place, an application must be made. An application form is provided for this purpose. However, an informal written letter is also classed as an application. The form should then be submitted afterwards.

Required documents

The pension insurance institution will advise which documents are required.

Further information

• Information for early retirement from 2024 (→ SVS)^{German text}
• Regional branches of the Public Employment Service (→ AMS)^{German text}
• Factsheet on the flexible retirement scheme (→ SVS)^{German text}
• Early retirement (→ AK)^{German text}

Legal basis

Allgemeines Pensionsgesetz (APG)

Link to form

• Early retirement scheme – application^{German text}
• Early retirement scheme – factsheet^{German text}
• Early retirement scheme – review of claims^{German text}

Authentication and signature

electronically: registration using ID Austria (only possible with the Austrian Pension Insurance Fund [PVA]) – Information on the changeover from mobile phone signature and citizen cards to ID Austria^{German text}.

in writing: informal letter (form to be submitted later)

in person: in this case, you should take with you the necessary documents, such as your birth certificate, birth certificates for your children, your residence registration form, your marriage certificate, where appropriate, and an identity document.

Means of redress or appeal

The pension insurance institution will make a decision on the pension application in an official notification. A complaint may be lodged with the competent Labour and Social Court within 3 months of delivery of the official notification.

Assistance and problem-solving services

Ombudsman’s office of the competent pension insurance institution