If your relationship ends, this may have consequences for your pension. For example, your ex-partner may be entitled to part of your occupational retirement pension (equalisation or conversion) and, in the event of your death, to part of the partner's pension (special partner's pension).
What will separation mean for your pension?
Occupational retirement pension for your ex-partner (equalisation)
According to the law, your ex-partner is entitled to half* the occupational retirement pension that you built up when you were married or had a registered partnership. This is called equalisation. A condition is that your marriage or registered partnership must have been entered into before your pension commencement date. There will be no right to equalisation if you cohabited, irrespective of whether or not you had a cohabitation contract.
The pension benefit for your ex-partner will start a month after we have received the application form for the division of occupational retirement pension in the event of separation (Dutch only) from you and will stop when you pass away. What if your ex-partner passes away before you? In that case, the equalisation no longer applies and you will once again be entitled to your entire occupational retirement pension.
* Deviation from this standard division is possible if you officially record this (e.g. in a divorce settlement).
Independent pension for your ex-partner (conversion)
In the case of a divorce or termination of your registered partnership, you can also opt for conversion. This means that your ex-partner obtains an independent right to part of your occupational retirement pension. By doing so, you definitively waive your right to this part of your occupational retirement pension. This part will be added to the special partner’s pension of your partner. Your ex-partner's pension will commence when he or she retires.
There are costs involved in a conversion. You and your ex-partner must each pay a one-off amount of € 100 in advance.
Partner's pension for your ex-partner (special partner's pension)
If you are divorced or if your registered partnership or notarial cohabitation contract is terminated, your ex-partner will be entitled after your death to the partner’s pension built up until your pension commencement date. This is referred to as a special partner's pension.
Your ex-partner may waive his or her right to the special partner’s pension. Record this arrangement in, for instance, a divorce settlement. For this purpose, complete the waiver (Dutch only). For more information, please contact our Service Desk.
Applying for equalisation or conversion of your occupational retirement pension
Send the completed application form for division of occupational retirement pension in the event of separation (Dutch only) to Bpf Koopvaardij. Have you recorded other arrangements about the division of your occupational retirement pension? For instance, in a prenuptial agreement, partnership conditions or a divorce settlement? Please send these documents to us after you and your partner have separated. If you submit the documents within two years, Bpf Koopvaardij will ensure that each partner gets his/her share. If you do this after two years, you and your ex-partner will have to arrange the division of the pension benefits together. You can request a calculation from us for this purpose. There are costs involved in a conversion. You and your ex-partner must each pay a one-off amount of € 100 in advance.
Deregistering your ex-partner
If you separate after a marriage, registered partnership or cohabitation and you live abroad, you must inform us of the end of the relationship. Both you and your ex-partner can do so in writing or by e-mail. Enclose or attach a copy of a registered letter to the other partner or to the civil-law notary. Always state the end date of the relationship in the letter.
A new relationship after your retirement
If, during your retirement, you remarry, enter into a registered partnership or conclude a notarial cohabitation contract, your new partner will not be entitled to a partner’s pension or the division of the occupational retirement pension. This is because you will no longer be building up pension after your retirement.