Pension

When a staff member leaves the MPI, it is very important to enter a valid private email address in Mijn Pensioenplein!

When leaving, there are three options:

1. Transfer the money to another pension plan, affiliated with a new employer. This can be done without any problems within the Netherlands, but transferring the value of your pension to another country outside the Netherlands is mostly impossible. Dutch law requires a lot of paperwork and procedures, and most of the time foreign pension companies do not want to do this. If so, the Dutch National Bank will not agree and the pension cannot be transferred. 
2. Retain the amount with ASR, to be paid out when you reach retirement age. This age is currently 67. If this is the option you choose, you should keep ASR abreast of address changes. 
3. For small amounts, currently under 600€, you can elect to "afkopen" - a payout to you. This is only possible if you are leaving the Netherlands. This might also be an option for larger amounts. You can ask ASR to do so no earlier than two years after your contract with the MPI has finished. At the time, ASR will check if it is possible. Again, the process may be quite lengthy. 

NOTE: it may be that you have to decide between these options within a certain time limit form when you were first employed, or from when you change employer. Please check this to avoid missing out on your preferred option, and pass the relevant information on to others. It is technically possible to supplement the MPI's contributions, but for short term employment/stays, with no plans to return to the Netherlands, this is not worth it. It is also strongly advised against paying additional contributions, given the possible difficulties involved in retrieving these funds at a later date. 

Please, always check with appropriate contacts (your own financial advisor, if you have one) concerning your individual situation before making decisions about your pension plan.