In Spain there are seven main retirement modalities regulated in the General Social Security Law (LGSS). Each one has a minimum age, required years of contributions and a different effect on the amount of the pension. The reform introduced by Royal Decree-Law 11/2024 modified the active, partial and delayed modalities as of April 1, 2025 to encourage workers to continue contributing beyond the ordinary age.
The choice between one modality and another depends on age, the number of years of contributions, the state of health and the willingness to continue working or not. To make it more concrete, a 61-year-old factory worker who has just been fired by the company due to an ERE will choose involuntary dismissal; A doctor in the public health system who reaches 66 years of age and wants to continue a few more months in the service will look at active or delayed retirement; A worker with a recognized pathology and a degree of disability greater than 65% will review the advance notice for disability. All are processed before the National Social Security Institute (INSS) and have a resolution period of 90 days.
What is ordinary retirement?
It is the modality that occurs when the worker retires upon reaching the ordinary legal age and stops working. In 2026, the ordinary age is:
- 65 years for those who prove 38 years and 3 months or more of contributions
- 66 years and 10 months for those who have contributed less than 38 years and 3 months
In addition, 15 years of contributions are required (generic waiting period), of which at least 2 must fall within the 15 years prior to retirement (specific waiting period).
Once these requirements are met, the pension is calculated by applying a percentage to the regulatory base according to the years contributed. At 15 years old, 50% is charged; with 36 years and 6 months or more, 100%. Everything regulated in article 205 of the LGSS.
What is voluntary early retirement?
It allows retirement to be brought forward up to 2 years compared to the ordinary age, in exchange for a permanent penalty on the pension. The requirements are:
- Age: maximum 2 years before the ordinary age (in 2026, from 63 years in the best case)
- At least 35 years of effective contributions (without integration of gaps)
- The resulting pension after applying the reducing coefficients must exceed the minimum pension that would correspond to the beneficiary
The reducing coefficients are applied for each month or fraction of a month in advance and range from 2.81% to 21% depending on the years contributed and the months advanced. With 35 years of contributions the penalty is greater; At 44 years and 6 months or more, the reduction drops to a minimum. The discount is applied to the pension for life. This modality is regulated in article 208 of the LGSS.
What is involuntary early retirement?
It is what occurs when the worker’s contract is terminated through no fault of his own, whether due to objective dismissal, ERE, bankruptcy, death of the employer or force majeure. It allows you to advance retirement up to 4 years before the ordinary age.
The requirements are:
- Age: maximum 4 years before the ordinary age (in 2026, from 61 years in the best case)
- 33 years of contributions
- Be registered as a job seeker at least 6 months before applying
- Prove that the termination of the contract was not voluntary
The reducing coefficients are lower than in the voluntary one and are applied for each month of advance over the ordinary age, because the law understands that leaving the labor market was not a decision of the worker. This modality is regulated in article 207 of the LGSS.
What is partial retirement?
It allows you to reduce the working day by between 25% and 75% and collect the proportional part of the pension before or upon reaching the ordinary age. After RDL 11/2024, which came into force on April 1, 2025, there are two modalities:
- With a replacement contract (advance): up to 3 years before the ordinary age. It requires 33 years of contributions, 6 years of seniority in the company and that the company hires a permanent, full-time reliever whose contribution base is at least 65% of the average of the retiree’s bases in the previous 6 months.
- Without relief contract (ordinary): upon reaching ordinary age. It is enough to meet the general retirement requirements.
During partial retirement, the worker receives a salary for the hours he works and a proportional pension for the hours he has reduced. It is regulated in article 215 of the LGSS.
What is flexible retirement?
It is designed for those who are already 100% retired and decide to re-enter the labor market with a part-time contract, never full-time. The conditions are:
- Part-time contract (between 25% and 50% of the usual working day), in accordance with article 5 of Royal Decree 1132/2002
- The pension is reduced in inverse proportion to the hours worked (if 40% is worked, 60% of the pension is collected)
- By leaving part-time work, 100% of the pension is recovered
It is compatible with those who cannot access active retirement, for example, due to having retired early. Contribution during this stage can generate a recalculation of the pension upon terminating the partial contract, provided that the result improves the original amount.
What is active retirement?
It allows you to collect part or 100% of the pension while continuing to work full or part-time, as an employee or self-employed person. After the reform of RDL 11/2024, the percentage depends on the time that full retirement has been delayed:
| Years of delay after ordinary age | % of pension collected |
|---|---|
| 1 year | 45% |
| 2 years | 55% |
| 3 years | 65% |
| 4 years | 80% |
| 5 years or more | 100% |
Self-employed workers who have at least one employee with a permanent contract start at 75% from the first year of delay. For every 12 uninterrupted months in active retirement, an additional increase of 5% is applied to the pension, with a cap of 100%. It is not compatible with the minimum plugin. The General Social Security Law regulates it in its article 214.
What is delayed retirement?
It applies when the worker voluntarily delays applying for the pension beyond the ordinary age without receiving anything while continuing to work. In exchange, you get an economic supplement to choose from three formulas:
- An additional 4% percentage for each full year delayed on the regulatory basis
- A lump sum amount for each full year delayed, calculated based on the regulatory base and previous contribution years
- A combination of both options (part in percentage and part in single payment), available after the reform of RDL 11/2024 with effect from April 1, 2025
There is no limit to the number of years you can delay retirement. The first year must be delayed completely to generate the first 4%; Starting from the second year, the regulations also allow fractions longer than six months when the pensioner chooses the lump sum formula or the combined formula of RDL 11/2024. It is regulated in article 210.2 of the LGSS.
Other special modalities
Along with the seven main ones, Social Security recognizes specific modalities for specific groups:
- Early retirement due to disability: with a degree equal to or greater than 45%, it allows the age to be reduced through specific coefficients; with a degree of 65% the reduction is even greater.
- Early retirement for painful, toxic or dangerous activity: applies to miners, flight personnel, railway workers, firefighters, local police and sea workers. Each group has its own reducing coefficients.
- Forced retirement: some collective agreements may set a maximum age to remain in the position, as long as the worker is entitled to 100% of the pension and the company complies with the conditions agreed in the agreement.
What is the best option according to each situation?
| Situation | Recommended mode |
|---|---|
| Meet the ordinary age with a complete career | Ordinary retirement |
| Advance retirement of your own free will | Voluntary early retirement (with cut) |
| Advance retirement after dismissal | Involuntary early retirement (minor cut) |
| Reduce the working day close to the ordinary age | Partial retirement |
| Already retired who wants to work part time | Flexible retirement |
| Staying in the labor market after normal age | Active retirement (if you want to collect a pension) or delayed retirement (if you want a future supplement) |