Retirement age average went up another four months last year

The average age of retirement in the Netherlands was 64 years and five months last year, four months older than in 2014, according to figures released by Statistics Netherlands on Tuesday. This is the ninth year in a row that the average retirement age increased. At the start of this century, the average retirement age for Dutch people was around 61 years old. The retirement age started rising in 2007. The rise can be attributed to regulatory and legislative changes encouraging workers to work longer, but the gradual increase of the state pension age also has an affect. Last year the state pension age, or AOW age as it is known in the Netherlands, was 65 years and three months. This year it will be increased to 65 years and six months. The proportion of workers retiring only after they reach the age of 65 almost quadrupled in the past nine years, from 15 percent in 2006 to 59 percent last year. During that same period the percentage workers retiring at the age of 60 decreased from 28 percent to 7 percent. Last year 36 percent of workers retired between the ages of 60 and 65, compared to 70 percent in 2008.