Defined contribution pension or a guaranteed pension?

Defined contribution pension

Your employer pays a monthly Defined contribution pension premium towards your pension. Your employer determines whether he pays the entire contribution or if you should also pay a part. What happens with your contribution depends on the choices made by your employer.

Your options Defined contribution pension

When you start a pension plan, you build up (accrue) pension by investing. This is a employee Benefit. We call this your Defined contribution pension. If your employer has given you the option to choose a guaranteed pension, you can use (part of) your contributions for a guaranteed pension. You can also convert (part of) your Defined contribution value into a guaranteed pension.

So depending on the choices made by your employer there are two possibilities:

  1. Defined contribution pension.
  2. Defined benefit pension.

Defined contribution pension investments

Defined contribution pension

The insurer invest the contributions towards your pension by default using the so-called Lifecycle method. Lifecycle investing includes lowering the risks of the investments as you get closer to the retirement date. The idea is that if you are about to retire, you also prefer more certainty about the amount of your pension. If your retirement date is still far in the future, you have more time to compensate for any setbacks. Therefore it is wise to take a little more risk during this early phase with the aim to obtain a higher return. Depending on the choices made by your employer, you can choose to invest in a different way by taking more or less risks.

Advantages of investingDisadvantages of investing
It is possible that the return on the Defined contribution pension premium is higher than expected. Your final pension will then be higher than expected.The amount of pension that you will receive is uncertain. If the returns are lower than expected, your final pension will also be lower than expected.
Depending on the choices made by your employer, you can modify your investments to suit your personal situation. 

Defined contribution pension or purchasing a guaranteed pension

By default, insurers invest your Defined contribution scheme using the Neutral Lifecycle. Once a year you can determine whether you want to build up (accrue) a guaranteed pension in addition to investing.

Using your contribution for a guaranteed pension

Once a year you can use (part of) your contribution for a guaranteed pension. You can indicate this towards the insurer . You can then re-distribute your contribution every year. Your choice remains the same until you make any changes.

Converting the value of your Defined contribution pension into a guaranteed pension.

Every year, in addition to converting the contribution, you can also choose to convert (part of) the value of your Defined pension into a guarantee pension. You can indicate this towards the insurer. You will then have to confirm your choice yearly.

Disadvantages of a guaranteed pension

Advantages of a guaranteed pensionDisadvantages of a guaranteed pension
Clarity about the pension income; you know the amount of pension you will receive.You cannot take advantage of any profits on your investments. Your final pension will then be lower.
You decide whether you prefer a guaranteed pension and you determine the amount.The amount of your pension is fixed. Inflation, and the fact that the value of money therefore decreases, will not be taken into account. This means that when you retire later on, you will not be able to buy as much with your pension as you might expect now.
 You can no longer convert the guaranteed pension into an Defined contribution pension .

f you think I might be able to help you of your business
Gerrit-Jan Doorneweerd, registered Pension Advisor,
Amsterdam, +31 (0)20 6200825
Mobile, 0651 471 9 – six – five. (Also in the evening and weekend.)
Please give me a call or send me your information below

Information and Calculations

English contact form General (Third party) Liability application form Directors and Officers Indemnity Premium Hiscox CyberClear Insurance - premium IT Information Technology Liability - Premium Management Consultancy Liability = premium Pension defined contribution - calculation Audio - Dutch Business risks and insurances Complete list - Dutch Business Insurances Bedrijfspensioen - berekening Eigen pensioen bijdrage 2024 berekenen DGA pensioen - berekening Premie Arbeidsongeschiktheid collectief offerte Arbeidsongeschiktheid ZZP of DGA offerte Adviseurswijziging bestaande verzekering Overzicht alle bedrijven verzekeringen

Video