Constants and assumptions
The values every PensionChart estimate is built from. This page exists so you can check our working rather than take it on trust.
Each value is tagged by what kind of number it is, because the three are not equally solid and it would be misleading to present them in one undifferentiated table:
- Set by law — a statutory figure. If we have it wrong, it is a factual error and we want to hear about it.
- Observed externally — published by someone else and read by us, such as exchange rates.
- Our modelling choice — nobody set this; we did. These are the ones to argue with.
This page is generated from the same values the estimator uses, so it cannot drift away from the product. An automated test fails if any statutory value goes more than 14 months without being re-confirmed — pension constants are typically revised annually.
Our modelling choices
Three numbers, all ours, all used to turn a savings or defined- contribution balance into a monthly income figure. They are conventional planning assumptions rather than a forecast — see the caveat on the main page.
| Value | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 4% per year | Real (above-inflation) growth applied to a balance until you claim | Our modelling choice |
| 4% per year | Sustainable withdrawal applied to the projected pot | Our modelling choice |
| Ages 60–70 | Claim ages each balance projection is calculated for | Our modelling choice |
| ECB daily reference rates | Currency conversion, refreshed at most once a day | Observed externally |
Statutory values by country
Claim ages and the basis on which we estimate, for each country we model. “Statement required” means the system genuinely cannot be estimated from a working history alone, so we ask for a statement rather than produce a number. Every row names the authority it was taken from and the date it was last confirmed.
| Country | Earliest | Full | Basis | Source | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇺 Australia | — | 67 | Statement required | servicesaustralia.gov.au | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 62 | 65 | Statement required | pensionsversicherung.at | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | 63 | 66 | Statement required | sfpd.fgov.be | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | — | 65 | Statement required | gov.br | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇨🇳 China | — | 60 | Statement required | mohrss.gov.cn | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇨🇴 Colombia | — | 62 | Statement required | colpensiones.gov.co | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 63 | 65 | Statement required | mlsi.gov.cy | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 62 | 65 | Statement required | cssz.cz | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | — | 67 | Estimated from rules | borger.dk | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | 63 | 65 | Statement required | tyoelake.fi | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇫🇷 France | 62 | 64 | Statement required | info-retraite.fr | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 63 | 67 | Statement required | deutsche-rentenversicherung.de | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇬🇷 Greece | 62 | 67 | Statement required | efka.gov.gr | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | — | 65 | Statement required | en.tcs.allamkincstar.gov.hu | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇮🇳 India | — | 58 | Statement required | epfindia.gov.in | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | — | 59 | Statement required | bpjsketenagakerjaan.go.id | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | — | 66 | Estimated from rules | citizensinformation.ie | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 60 | 65 | Statement required | nenkin.go.jp | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya | — | 60 | Statement required | nssfkenya.co.ke | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇰🇼 Kuwait | — | 55 | Statement required | pifss.gov.kw | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 60 | 65 | Statement required | cnap.lu | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | — | 55 | Statement required | kwsp.gov.my | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇲🇹 Malta | 61 | 65 | Statement required | socialsecurity.gov.mt | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | — | 65 | Statement required | gob.mx | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | — | 65 | Estimated from rules | workandincome.govt.nz | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇳🇴 Norway | 62 | 67 | Statement required | nav.no | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇴🇲 Oman | — | 60 | Statement required | spf.gov.om | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇵🇦 Panama | — | 62 | Statement required | css.gob.pa | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | 60 | 65 | Statement required | sss.gov.ph | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | — | 65 | Statement required | zus.pl | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | 60 | 66 | Statement required | seg-social.pt | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇶🇦 Qatar | — | 60 | Statement required | grsia.gov.qa | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | — | 60 | Statement required | gosi.gov.sa | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | — | 65 | Statement required | cpf.gov.sg | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | — | 60 | Statement required | sassa.gov.za | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 60 | 65 | Statement required | nps.or.kr | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | 63 | 67 | Statement required | seg-social.es | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | 63 | 66 | Statement required | pensionsmyndigheten.se | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 63 | 65 | Statement required | ahv-iv.ch | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | — | 55 | Statement required | sso.go.th | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | — | 60 | Statement required | sgk.gov.tr | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | — | 60 | Statement required | gpssa.gov.ae | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | — | 66 | Estimated from rules | gov.uk | 2026-01-01 |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | — | 62 | Statement required | baohiemxahoi.gov.vn | 2026-01-01 |
Set by law, every row. A few countries are additionally modelled in depth from their statutory formulas — accrual rates, bend points and maximum benefits — and those detailed figures live with the estimator rather than here, because publishing a formula without its rules would invite more misreading than it prevents. If you want to check one, ask us and we will show our working.
Something look wrong?
A statutory value we have wrong is a factual error, and the fastest way to fix it is to tell us with a link to the authority. Email info@pensionchart.com or use our contact form.
Last reviewed 29 August 2026. PensionChart is operated by MagicCompany.AI BV, Haarlem, The Netherlands.