Best Retirement Planning Platforms in Europe 2026
Plan and prepare for retirement.
Updated 2026-03-22
Top picks
Updated Apr 2026Some links are affiliate. Ratings not affected.
Platforms compared
Countries covered
Categories
Daily
Data updates
67
AOW retirement age
30-40%
Typical pension gap
7M+
Mijnpensioenoverzicht users
~€1,400/mo
AOW single (2025)
What are retirement planning platforms?
Retirement planning is the process of estimating your future income needs and ensuring that your combined pension sources (state pension, employer pension, and private savings) are sufficient to maintain your desired lifestyle after you stop working.
The fundamental question is simple: will you have enough? Most people significantly overestimate their future pension income. In the Netherlands, the average pension income (AOW + employer pension) replaces approximately 60-70% of your last gross salary. After decades of being accustomed to your working income, a 30-40% drop can require significant lifestyle adjustments.
Key factors in retirement planning include:
Inflation erosion: A pension that seems adequate today may not be in 20-30 years. At 2.5% annual inflation, the purchasing power of a fixed pension halves in 28 years. This is why pension indexation (annual adjustment for inflation) is critical. Many Dutch pension funds have not been able to fully index pensions in recent years due to coverage ratio requirements.
Longevity risk: Average life expectancy in the Netherlands is approximately 80 for men and 83 for women, but many people live well into their 90s. Your savings need to last potentially 25-30 years after retirement. Running out of money in your 80s is a real risk if your planning assumes a shorter retirement.
Healthcare costs: Healthcare expenses tend to increase with age. While the Dutch basisverzekering covers essential care, out-of-pocket costs (eigen risico, dental, physiotherapy, home care) can add up to several thousand euros per year in later life.
Retirement calculators help you model different scenarios: what if you retire at 65 instead of 67? What if you save an additional 200 EUR per month? What if inflation is 3% instead of 2%? These tools turn abstract concerns into concrete numbers, helping you take action while you still have time.
Not sure which retirement planning platforms fits you?
Answer 5 quick questions to get a personalized match.
Free. No account needed. 30 seconds.
How it works in Europe
1. Gather your pension overview
Start with mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl, which shows your projected AOW (state pension) and all employer pensions in one place. Log in with your DigiD. Note the projected monthly amounts at retirement age (67). These are gross amounts; after income tax, the net amount is lower. Also check if your pension fund has been able to index (adjust for inflation) in recent years, as the projected amount may not account for future inflation.
2. Define your retirement income goal
A common target is 70-80% of your current net income. Your expenses typically decrease in retirement (no commuting costs, mortgage may be paid off, no pension contributions) but some costs increase (healthcare, leisure, home maintenance). Create a realistic monthly budget for retirement, including: housing, healthcare (premiums + eigen risico), food, utilities, transportation, leisure and travel, and a buffer for unexpected costs.
3. Calculate your pension gap
The pension gap (pensioengat) is the difference between your desired retirement income and your projected pension income. For example: if you want 3,000 EUR/month net and your projected pension (AOW + employer) is 2,100 EUR/month net, your pension gap is 900 EUR/month. To fill this gap, you need approximately 200,000-250,000 EUR in private savings (using a 4% annual withdrawal rate). This calculation motivates concrete action.
4. Explore options to close the gap
Options include: increasing private pension contributions (lijfrente), investing through a regular brokerage account (taxed differently but more flexible), paying off your mortgage before retirement (reduces required income), continuing to work part-time past retirement age, or reducing your target income. Each option has different tax implications and flexibility. A combination is usually most effective.
5. Review and adjust regularly
Retirement planning is not a one-time exercise. Review your plan annually or after major life events (job change, salary increase, divorce, inheritance, house purchase). Update your projections with current pension fund communications (the annual UPO, Uniform Pensioenoverzicht). As you approach retirement (10-15 years out), shift from "how much do I need to save" to "how should I structure my withdrawals for tax efficiency."
Advantages
- Early planning allows compound growth to work: starting 10 years earlier can mean 50-100% more retirement savings
- Mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl provides a free, comprehensive view of all Dutch pension accrual in one place
- Identifying your pension gap early gives you time to close it through additional savings, not lifestyle cuts in retirement
- Tax-efficient strategies (lijfrente, mortgage payoff) can significantly improve your net retirement income
- The Dutch three-pillar system provides a strong foundation: even modest private savings can close most pension gaps
Disadvantages
- Pension projections involve many assumptions (inflation, returns, life expectancy) that may prove inaccurate
- Many people delay planning until it is too late: closing a large pension gap in the last 10 working years is very difficult
- Dutch pension fund indexation is not guaranteed: inflation can erode purchasing power even when nominal amounts look adequate
- Retirement age changes (AOW age linked to life expectancy) can shift your timeline and affect planning assumptions
How to choose
How much do you need?
A common target is 70-80% of your pre-retirement income. In the Netherlands, the AOW (state pension) covers a base level, and employer/private pensions should fill the gap. Online retirement calculators can estimate your projected income. The key inputs are: current savings, monthly contributions, expected returns, and years until retirement.
State pension by country
State pensions vary dramatically. The Dutch AOW pays around €1,300/month for singles. German state pension depends on your earning history. The UK state pension is around £200/week. If you have worked in multiple countries, you may be entitled to partial state pensions from each. Check your rights with each country's pension authority.
Drawdown strategy
When you retire, you need a plan for converting savings into income. Options include annuities (guaranteed income for life), drawdown (flexible withdrawals from your pot), and a mix of both. Most financial advisors recommend keeping 1-2 years of expenses in cash, with the rest invested for continued growth.
State pension ages vary: Netherlands 67, Germany 67, France 64, UK 66 (rising to 67 by 2028). You can retire earlier using private savings, but accessing state pension and employer schemes early may not be possible or may come with reductions.
Most European countries tax pension income as regular income. In the Netherlands, pension payouts are taxed in box 1 (income tax). The advantage is that you get tax relief on contributions (when your tax rate is typically high) and pay tax on withdrawals (when your income and tax rate are typically lower).
State pension ages vary: the Netherlands is moving to 67 (linked to life expectancy), Germany to 67 by 2031, France recently raised it to 64, and the UK is moving to 68. Most EU countries are gradually increasing the retirement age as life expectancy rises. You can check your country's specific timeline on the national pension authority website.
State pension amounts depend on your contribution years and the country. In the Netherlands, a full AOW pension (50 years of residency) is roughly EUR 1,350 per month for a single person. In Germany, the average pension is about EUR 1,500 per month. In France, the average is around EUR 1,400 per month. Gaps in contribution years reduce your entitlement proportionally.
Yes. Under EU social security coordination rules (Regulation 883/2004), if you have worked in multiple EU/EEA countries, each country pays a pension based on the years you contributed there. Your total pension is calculated by combining all qualifying periods. You apply in the country where you live, and they coordinate with the other countries' pension authorities.
The earlier the better, as compound returns make a dramatic difference over decades. Starting at 25 with EUR 200 per month at a 6% average return builds roughly EUR 400,000 by age 65, while starting at 35 yields only about EUR 200,000. At minimum, start by enrolling in your employer pension and opening a private pension or investment account for additional savings.
Browse all 13 retirement planning
See the full directory with filters, ratings, and side-by-side comparison.
Comparing 13+ platforms across 30 countries
Our ratings follow a transparent methodology. Read our editorial policy and how we rate platforms.
Investing involves risk. You could lose some or all of your money. Capmap provides educational information only, not financial advice. Always do your own research before investing. Full risk disclaimer