In 2026, the ordinary retirement age will rise again and workers who want to retire at 65 must have listed at least 38 years and three months, otherwise they must wait at 66 years and 10 months (two more months with respect to this 2025). This standard is part of the first reform of pensions regulated by Law 27/2011 (which can be consulted in this BOE), from which two ages of retirement entered: one ordinary and that would grow progressively and another set in the 65 years, for those with long contribution races.
In this way, those who do not reach this contribution threshold will see their retirement age up to 66 years and 10 months, as well as they will not be able to access 100% of the pension unless they have a minimum of 36 years and six months quoted. In the case of not meeting the requirements, your retirement will be denied until these criteria are met.
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Requirements to collect full pension
Law 27/2011, in addition to putting a progressive increase in the retirement age, both in the retirement age and in the necessary contribution years to retire at 65, has also established certain criteria to collect the full pension. Thus, although in 2026 the possibility of being able to collect 100% with at least 36 years and six months will be maintained, this will change in 2027, and will be in the 37 years to be able to collect that full pension or 100% of the regulatory base.
But in that year not only the conditions to collect 100%are hardened, but also culminates the reform of the retirement age. The ordinary age will definitely be 67 years old, although there will continue to be the option of retiring at age 65 for those who prove a longer contribution career, of at least 38 years and six months.
Practical example of retirement age
To understand how it affects the contributions to the retirement age we can be able to power the following example. A worker who will be 65 years old in January 2026 and wants to retire that same year, with 37 years quoted. Well, Social Security will tell you that you cannot retire, you need to be at least 38 years and 3 months, so you can withdraw when you turn 66 years and 10 months.
Now, if he was 38 years quoted in January 2026 how much he is 65 years old, he will not be able to withdraw that month, but at the time he cotes the necessary years to be able to retire at 65.
On the other hand, in terms of what we will have of pension we can make the following practical example. If a worker has a regulatory base of 1,500 euros per month, he can only receive this full amount if he meets all years of contribution that the law requires to reach 100%. If that total is not reached, the amount is progressively reduced. The starting point for a contributory pension is to have quoted a minimum of 15 years, which grants the right to receive 50% of the regulatory base, which in this case would be 750 euros per month.
Overcome that 15 -year -old threshold, the pension improves with each additional month of work. The calculation system for the 2023-2026 period establishes that for each of the first 49 extra quoted months, the percentage rises 0.21%. In this way, a worker with 16 years quoted (12 months above the minimum), would see its percentage increase to 52.52%, receiving a pension of about 787.8 euros. After this first section, the increase for each additional month is 0.19% for the next 209 months, continuing the progressive calculation to 100% of the regulatory base.
Difference between 100% of the pension and the maximum pension
Finally, you have to know that it is not the same to collect 100% of the pension, than the maximum pension. The maximum pension is the legal limit that no public benefit can exceed and is set annually in the General State Budgets.
On the other hand, reaching 100% of the pension refers to 100% of the regulatory base to which it is entitled, calculated from the contributions of the last 25 years (the last 300 bases divided by 350). Although a worker meets the requirements to obtain this 100%, the final amount that he will receive may never exceed the maximum legally established pension.