In Spain, all workers when their retirement age approach have in mind what will be the amount of the pension that will be received, especially if they charge a low salary, for example, 1,200 euros. For the National Social Security Institute, the amount of the pension depends mainly on two factors that are, the latest contribution bases that work to determine the regulatory base and the total quoted years that serve to determine which percentage of said base is entitled.
Now, we must take into account that the Social Security Method to calculate retirement pension It has been changing progressively since Law 27/2011 entered into force. For this reason, the pension calculation will not be the same if this 2025 is caused that in 2027, since both the retirement age and the coefficients to determine the amount will change.
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In this way, the first thing we should know is what year we are going to retire (in this article you can consult the retirement age depending on the year of birth and quoted years). Then, we will have to calculate the regulatory base and, finally, what percentage of said base corresponds to us. On the other hand, it must be taken into account that the age at which it is accessed to retirement does influence decisively: the amount of the pension will be reduced if it is accessed to an early retirement, whether voluntary or involuntary, by applying reducing coefficients.
How the retirement pension is calculated
The first step is to calculate the regulatory base, which is obtained by adding the contribution bases of the last 25 years (the 300 most recent) and dividing the result by 350. These can be found in the Electronic Social Security Headquarters.
So that the oldest bases do not lose value (since 1,000 euros of 25 years ago the same as now), social security updates them with the CPI, except for those of the last two years, which are considered to nominal value. In addition, unmotable periods can be integrated, known as contribution lagoons, to improve the calculation.
Knowing the regulatory base, better known as 100% of the pension, you have to know what percentage of that 100% is entitled, which will depend on the total of quoted years. That is, more years, higher percentage. Thus, with 15 years, which is the minimum to access the retirement tax pension, 50% of the regulatory base will be entitled. From there, for each month a percentage will be added according to this criterion:
- For each of the next 49 months, 0.21% extra to the regulatory base will be added.
- Subsequently, during each of the following 209 months, an additional 0.19% will be added to the regulatory base.
In this way, workers with 36 years and 6 months quoted or more will be entitled to the full pension, that is, 100%. Now, as we have said, the calculation method is changing over the years, so in 2027, it will be necessary to have at least 37 years of contribution to continue charging that 100%.
What happens if quotation base is not equal to my salary
When we talk about the pension, we must take into account that it is calculated on the contribution bases, which are almost always different from the salary that we charge every month.
On the payroll of a worker appears a gross salary, which is the reference to calculate the contribution base. From that gross salary the deductions (the quotes of the worker and the withholdings of the IRPF) are subtracted to obtain the net or liquid salary to be received. The contributions paid by the worker are calculated on the basis of contribution and cover concepts such as common contingencies, unemployment and professional training.
The contribution base can be different from the salary, but the most important thing is that it can never be lower than the minimum price base. According to order PJC/178/2025 (that can be consulted in this boe), By 2025 the minimum contribution base is set at 1,381.20 euros per month, a figure that is already linked to the rise in Minimum interprofessional salary This year.
How much pension is with a salary of 1,200 euros
People who have charged a salary of 1,200 euros should know that their company will have quoted for the minimum legal base, which in 2025 is 1,381.20 euros per month. Taking this as a reference, your pension will be between the 592 euros (with 15 years quoted) and 1,184 euros per month. In the case of having contributed 36 years and 6 months, 100% of the regulatory base will be taken, which will be about 1,184 euros per month.
In the pension table presented below, orientation, you can consult the approximate pension that would correspond to this salary of 1,200 euros (and a price for the minimum base), depending on the quoted years. In this table, the effect of inflation on the oldest bases or the complement to minimums does not apply (Minimum amounts for 2025).
| Quoted years | Percentage | Monthly pension | Annual pension (14 payments) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 years | 50.00% | € 591.94 | € 8,287.16 |
| 16 years | 52.52% | € 621.77 | € 8,704.78 |
| 17 years | 55.04% | € 651.61 | € 9,122.54 |
| 18 years | 57.56% | € 681.45 | € 9,540.30 |
| 19 years | 60.08% | € 711.28 | € 9,957.92 |
| 20 years | 62.38% | € 738.57 | € 10,339.98 |
| 21 years | 64.66% | € 765.58 | € 10,718.12 |
| 22 years | 66.94% | € 792.59 | € 11,096.26 |
| 23 years | 69.22% | € 819.60 | € 11,474.40 |
| 24 years | 71.50% | € 846.62 | € 11,852.68 |
| 25 years | 73.78% | € 873.63 | € 12,230.82 |
| 26 years | 76.06% | € 900.64 | € 12,608.96 |
| 27 years | 78.34% | € 927.65 | € 12,987.10 |
| 28 years | 80.62% | € 954.66 | € 13,365.24 |
| 29 years | 82.90% | € 981.68 | € 13,743.52 |
| 30 years | 85.18% | € 1.008.46 | € 14,118.44 |
| 31 years | 87.46% | € 1,035.47 | € 14,496.58 |
| 32 years | 89.74% | € 1,062.48 | € 14,874.72 |
| 33 years | 92.02% | € 1,089.41 | € 15,251.74 |
| 34 years | 94.30% | € 1,116.42 | € 15,629.88 |
| 35 years | 96.58% | € 1,143.45 | € 16,008.30 |
| 36 years | 98.86% | € 1,170.46 | € 16,386.44 |
| 36 years and 6 months | 100.00% | € 1,183.88 | € 16,574.32 |