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You are here: Home Finance & Business Pensions & Insurance The expat pension puzzle

30/07/2003The expat pension puzzle

If you are an expat and have worked in several countries, can your multiple pension schemes keep up with you? A lawyer explains.

Each country has full authority to determine the methods of calculating and conditions for granting a national pension (in the sense of retirement benefits), the retiring age, the level of the contributions to be paid in order to fund the national pension scheme, etc.

In order to protect workers who have pursued international careers, European provisions on social security and bilateral social security agreements concluded between Belgium and third countries provide for a legal framework which safeguard your pension rights in each respective country of employment. Each country is obliged to pay a pension proportionate to the insurance periods completed there.

Applying for your pension

Under the Regulation, if you have built up pension rights within the EEA and if you also reside within the EEA at the time of application, you must file for your pension in your country of residence.

Is your pension sorted?

If you were not previously contributing to social security in your country of residence, the pension institution will reject your application and refer you to the pension institution of the member state where you last paid pension contributions.

If you reside in a country outside the EEA, you have to send your application to the pension institution of the member state where you last paid pension contributions.

Similarly, under the Totalisation Agreement, if you are living in Belgium or in the USA, you must apply for your pension in your country of residence. If you reside neither in Belgium nor in the US, you must send your application form directly to the competent pension institution (i.e. the Social Security Administration (SSA) for your US-pension and the National Pensions Office four your Belgian pension).

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