The amount of the Social Security contributory retirement pension depends on two factors, which are the total number of years of contributions and the contribution bases for the latter. The regulatory base is obtained from the contribution bases, and is the reference on which the corresponding percentage is applied according to the years contributed. This percentage can range from 50% to 100%, depending on the years worked throughout one’s working life, that is, the more years of contributions, the higher the percentage applicable to the regulatory base.
In the calculation of this base, the accumulated contributions in all Social Security regimes that are integrable are taken into account. Therefore, even if you have contributed to different regimes (for example, General Regime and Self-Employed Regime), it is normal for these contributions to be added to calculate a single retirement pension. Now, the rule allows in exceptional cases to collect two retirement pensions at the same time, as long as they do not belong to the same regime.
In this sense, many workers who receive a salary of between 1,500 and 2,000 euros per month are interested in knowing what pension they might be entitled to upon reaching ordinary retirement age. Reference is made to the ordinary age because, if retirement is brought forward, Social Security applies permanent reducing coefficients on the pension, as established by Law 27/2011. It should be remembered that this age increases progressively and, in 2026, it will be 66 years and 10 months, unless 38 years and 3 months of contributions are accredited, in which case it is possible to retire at 65 years of age.
How the pension is calculated
The regulatory base represents 100% of the pension to which one is entitled. Starting in 2026, a dual system comes into force to determine it, and Social Security will apply ex officio the formula that is most beneficial for the worker:
- The classic option (25 years): The bases of the 300 months prior to the month prior to the causative event are added and divided by 350, thus incorporating the proration of the extraordinary payments.
- The new option with discard: A progressively longer period of time is taken into account, but the worst monthly payments are discarded. In the specific case of 2026, the 302 best contribution bases of the last 304 months are added and divided by 352.33.
To these bases, except those corresponding to the two years prior to retirement, a corrective coefficient is applied based on the CPI to reflect the effect of inflation. This ensures that old quotes do not lose real value in the calculation.
Now, what happens if I haven’t contributed every month? In the event of periods without contributions, Social Security applies the gap integration mechanism. This system fills in the gaps with fictitious contributions to avoid a drastic reduction in the regulatory base. Generally:
- The first 48 months without contributions are integrated with 100% of the current minimum base.
- Starting from month 49, 50% of said base is used.
From 2026, this benefit is expanded in the case of women (and men who meet certain gender gap requirements):
- Until month 60, 100% of the minimum base is maintained.
- From month 61 to 84, 80% applies.
- From month 85, 50% is used.
It must be taken into account that this cannot be applied to self-employed workers in the same terms.
Once the regulatory base has been determined, it is necessary to calculate what percentage of it corresponds to the time worked. Thus, with 15 years of contributions, which is the minimum, you will be entitled to 50% of the regulatory base. From there, the following coefficients will be applied:
- For each of the next 49 months of contributions, an additional 0.21% is added.
- For the next 209 months, 0.19% is added for each month.
In this way, to reach 100% of the regulatory base, it will be necessary to have contributed for at least 36 years and 6 months in 2026. From 2027, the requirement will change, and it will be required to have contributed for 37 full years.
Table with the retirement pension according to the years of contributions for a salary between 1,500 and 2,000 euros
To know exactly the corresponding pension, it is necessary to consult the regulatory base, information that can be easily obtained at the Social Security electronic headquarters, through the (contribution bases report).
As a guide, in the following table you can see what pension would be available to a worker with an average salary between 1,500 and 2,000 euros depending on the years of contributions and the regulatory base.
| Years contributed | Percentage | Regulatory base of €1,500 | Regulatory base of €1,600 | Regulatory base of €1,700 | Regulatory base of 1,800 | Regulatory base of €1,900 | Regulatory base of €2,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 years | 50% | €750.00 | €800.00 | €850.00 | €900.00 | €950.00 | €1,000.00 |
| 16 years | 52.52% | €787.80 | €840.32 | €892.84 | €945.36 | €997.88 | €1,050.40 |
| 17 years | 55.04% | €825.60 | €880.64 | €935.68 | €990.72 | €1,045.76 | €1,100.80 |
| 18 years | 57.56% | €863.40 | €920.96 | €978.52 | €1,036.08 | €1,093.64 | €1,151.20 |
| 19 years | 60.08% | €901.20 | €961.28 | €1,021.36 | €1,081.44 | €1,141.52 | €1,201.60 |
| 20 years | 62.38% | €935.70 | €998.08 | €1,060.46 | €1,122.84 | €1,185.22 | €1,247.60 |
| 21 years | 64.66% | €969.90 | €1,034.56 | €1,099.22 | €1,163.88 | €1,228.54 | €1,293.20 |
| 22 years | 66.94% | €1,004.10 | €1,071.04 | €1,137.98 | €1,204.92 | €1,271.86 | €1,338.80 |
| 23 years | 69.22% | €1,038.30 | €1,107.52 | €1,176.74 | €1,245.96 | €1,315.18 | €1,384.40 |
| 24 years | 71.5% | €1,072.50 | €1,144.00 | €1,215.50 | €1,287.00 | €1,358.50 | €1,430.00 |
| 25 years | 73.78% | €1,106.70 | €1,180.48 | €1,254.26 | €1,328.04 | €1,401.82 | €1,475.60 |
| 26 years | 76.06% | €1,140.90 | €1,216.96 | €1,293.02 | €1,369.08 | €1,445.14 | €1,521.20 |
| 27 years | 78.34% | €1,175.10 | €1,253.44 | €1,331.78 | €1,410.12 | €1,488.46 | €1,566.80 |
| 28 years | 80.62% | €1,209.30 | €1,289.92 | €1,370.54 | €1,451.16 | €1,531.78 | €1,612.40 |
| 29 years | 82.9% | €1,243.50 | €1,326.40 | €1,409.30 | €1,492.20 | €1,575.10 | €1,658.00 |
| 30 years | 85.18% | €1,277.70 | €1,362.88 | €1,448.06 | €1,533.24 | €1,618.42 | €1,703.60 |
| 31 years | 87.46% | €1,311.90 | €1,399.36 | €1,486.82 | €1,574.28 | €1,661.74 | €1,749.20 |
| 32 years | 89.74% | €1,346.10 | €1,435.84 | €1,525.58 | €1,615.32 | €1,705.06 | €1,794.80 |
| 33 years | 92.02% | €1,380.30 | €1,472.32 | €1,564.34 | €1,656.36 | €1,748.38 | €1,840.40 |
| 34 years | 94.3% | €1,414.50 | €1,508.80 | €1,603.10 | €1,697.40 | €1,791.70 | €1,886.00 |
| 35 years | 96.58% | €1,448.70 | €1,545.28 | €1,641.86 | €1,738.44 | €1,835.02 | €1,931.60 |
| 36 years | 98.86% | €1,482.90 | €1,581.76 | €1,680.62 | €1,779.48 | €1,878.34 | €1,977.20 |
| 36 years and 6 months | 100% | €1,500.00 | €1,600.00 | €1,700.00 | €1,800.00 | €1,900.00 | €2,000.00 |