All workers want to know what pension they will have when they leave working life, especially those with the minimum number of years of contributions, which are 15. To calculate and know the amount of the retirement pension that a person with 15 years of contributions will receive in 2026, it is necessary to apply the Social Security calculation method. This takes into account the regulatory base or 100% of the pension to which one is entitled based on the computable contribution bases and the total years of contributions, which determines how many percent of that 100% one is entitled to. That is, the greater the regulatory base and the more years of contributions, the greater the pension will be.
Thus, with 15 years of contributions you will be entitled to 50% of the regulatory base. This percentage will be respected whenever the ordinary retirement age is reached. It must be taken into account that with 15 years of contributions, although retirement can be delayed to increase the amount, the retirement age cannot be brought forward.
Articles 207 and 208 of the General Law of Social Security They explain that to access voluntary early retirement it is necessary to have 35 years of contributions, while for involuntary retirement 33 years are necessary, in addition to meeting other requirements.
Calculation of the regulatory base
The regulatory base or percentage of the pension to which one is entitled based on the years of contributions changes in 2026 due to Royal Decree 2/2023. Until 2025, it was calculated by adding the last 300 contribution bases, that is, the last 25 years, and dividing the result by 350. But from 2026, Social Security will apply the most beneficial calculation between that traditional system and a new one of gradual application.
In this way, in 2026 the regulatory base can be calculated in two ways. The first will be the one known until now, that is, adding the last 300 contribution bases and dividing by 350. The second consists of dividing by 352.33 the 302 contribution bases with the highest amount included within the 304 months immediately preceding the month prior to the causing event. Social Security will apply the most favorable result for the worker.
The inflation effect must be applied to this calculation to revalue the oldest contributions and will be based on all bases except those of the 24 months immediately preceding the month prior to the causative event, which are taken at their nominal value. Furthermore, during this period it is possible to use the gap integration mechanism to cover the months without obligation to contribute using fictitious bases. In the case of employed workers, from 2026 this integration is also improved in certain sections of gaps.
With the calculated regulatory base, it will be necessary to determine what percentage of the pension corresponds. As we have said, with 15 years of contributions you will be entitled to 50% of the regulatory base. In the case of more months, the following rule will apply:
- For each of the first 249 additional months of contributions from year 16, an extra 0.21% will be added to the regulatory base.
- For months that exceed that section, an additional 0.19% will be added.
Thus, to get 100% of the pension it will be necessary to be at least 36 years and six months. In 2027 it changes, and it will be necessary to have 37 years of contributions.
How much pension do I have left based on my regulatory base?
Knowing the regulatory basis, it is possible to determine what the future pension that the pensioner will receive will be. In the following table you can see approximately what the amount of the retirement pension would be with 15 years of contributions.
| Regulatory basis | Monthly pension | Annual pension |
|---|---|---|
| €1,200 | €600 | €8,400 |
| €1,300 | €650 | €9,100 |
| €1,400 | €700 | €9,800 |
| €1,500 | €750 | €10,500 |
| €1,600 | €800 | €11,200 |
| €1,700 | €850 | €11,900 |
| €1,800 | €900 | €12,600 |
| €1,900 | €950 | €13,300 |
| €2,000 | €1,000 | €14,000 |
| €2,100 | €1,050 | €14,700 |
| €2,200 | €1,100 | €15,400 |
As we see, in the first amounts and for the lowest regulatory bases the current minimum pension is barely reached, so in this case you will be able to access the minimum supplement for pensionprovided that the income and residence requirements required by Social Security are met.
For those who want to know exactly what their exact retirement age will be and the amounts they will have left when they retire, the Social Security has a simulator on its web portal.
Retirement age with 15 years of contributions
In 2026, the retirement age with 15 years of contributions will be 66 years and 10 months. Only those who have contributed at least 38 years and 3 months of contributions will be able to retire at age 65, so this possibility does not apply to those who have only contributed for 15 years. Starting in 2027, the ordinary retirement age will be set at 67 years for those who do not reach the required contribution.