Employers Newsletter

March 2023

Your pension scheme in 2023

Each year, employers' and employees' organisations in the Dutch merchant navy and the Bpf Koopvaardij board make decisions regarding your pension. In our latest issue of PensioenPeiling, you can read what these decisions mean for your pension scheme in 2023.

Receiving your invoice digitally

If you opt for a digital invoice, you will receive the invoice by e-mail and no longer by post. You will find the contribution specification in the Koopvaardij Portal, as you have come to expect from us.

How do you receive the digital invoice?

1. Log in to the Koopvaardij Portal with eHerkenning.

2. Click on ‘Contact details’ [‘Contactgegevens’] on the left.

3. Under ‘Mail preference’ [‘Postvoorkeur’], click ‘adjust’ [‘aanpassen’].

4. You will receive a confirmation e-mail. In this e-mail, click on the activation link and we will save your choice.

Calculating the daily wage for your part-time and on-call workers

If you have part-time or on-call workers, it is important that you calculate the daily wage correctly. We are happy to explain how to do so.

Help with pension choices for your employees

If your employees are nearing retirement, there are all kinds of choices they can make to tailor the pension to their personal situation.

For more information about these choices, your employees can request a personal consultation with our Service Desk. A phone appointment is easily made using the appointment planner on our website.

Extra pension from the transitional scheme (VPL) has been granted

The VPL scheme expired on 1 January 2023. As a result, the pension from the VPL scheme became unconditional on 31 December 2022. This means that the extra pension from this scheme has been allocated to the members in question and added to their built-up pension.

All members who meet the conditions for the VPL scheme will receive a letter in April 2023. This letter will state the amounts that have been added to their pension for the occupational retirement and partner’s pensions.

Pensions can be applied for digitally

If your employees want to calculate their pension choices and apply for their pension, they can do so in a few steps in My Koopvaardij. Do you want to know the advantages of digital application?

New pension rules a step closer

In December, a majority of the House of Representatives voted in favour of the Dutch Future of Pensions Act (Wet toekomst pensioenen). This Act sets out the rules for the new pension system. If the Senate also approves, the new law may take effect as of 1 July 2023.

Employee and employer organisations and pension funds will then have until 1 January 2027 at the latest to prepare properly for the new rules. The same applies to employee and employer organisations in the merchant navy. Together, they will make arrangements regarding the pension scheme. We will, of course, keep you informed of progress.

© Bedrijfspensioenfonds Koopvaardij