No AOW supplementary allowance as from 2015

Currently, people who are married to or living with apartner who is under 65 may qualify for a supplementary
allowance on top of their AOW old age pension.
However, the supplementary allowance will be discon­tinued as from 1 January 2015. People who turn 65 on
or after that date will not get a supplementary allowance.
This leaflet is only relevant for you if:■■ you are married to or living with a younger partner;■■ you were born on or after 1 January 1950;■■ your partner has little or no income.
The amounts shown in this leaflet are applicable as from1 July 2009. The amounts are regularly adjusted. For theprecise amounts, visit our website, www.svb.nl, or callyour SVB office.

AOW PENSION AND SUPPLEMENTARYALLOWANCE AS FROM 2015

If you turn 65 on or after 1 January 2015 you will not
get a supplementary allowance. You will only get an
AOW pension for yourself. When your partner turns 65,
he or she may be entitled to an AOW pension as well.
As a result, your income over this intervening period
may be lower than expected. Below, you can read whatmeasures you can take to bridge the period until yourpartner is entitled to a pension.
If you were born before 1 January 1950

If you were born before 1 January 1950, nothing willchange for you, as you will have already reached the ageof 65 on 1 January 2015. You will continue to receive a
supplementary allowance until your partner turns 65,
even if that happens after 1 January 2015.

AOW PENSION AND SUPPLEMENTARYALLOWANCE UNTIL 2015

ExampleWhen you reach the age of 65 you will receive AOWpension. If you have a partner who is under 65, you mayalso receive a supplementary allowance. The full AOW
pension for a married person or a person living with apartner is € 730.64 gross per month (including the AOW
top-up of € 36.45). The full supplementary allowanceis € 694.19 per month. If your partner has income, thismay affect the amount of the supplementary allowance.
Generally, the higher the income, the lower the supple­
mentary allowance. If your partner earns more than
€ 1,251.08 a month, no supplementary allowance will bepayable. For income related to previous work, such as
early retirement pension or incapacity benefit, this limit
is € 694.19 per month. The amount of your supplemen­tary allowance may also be affected if your partner has
lived or worked outside the Netherlands.

2017. As Anne has no income of her own, Bill will

Bill Brown turns 65 in 2012. His wife Anne will be 65 inreceive a supplementary allowance until Anne’s 65thbirthday in 2017.

The reason the supplementary allowance
has been discontinued

By discontinuing the supplementary allowance, the AOW
scheme has been adapted to modern times. The supple­
mentary allowance is based on the outdated principle ofmen being the sole breadwinners. More and more
women are now receiving income in their own right.
It is expected that by 2015, 75 % of all married andunmarried couples will be dual-income couples.
The government believes that discontinuing the supple­
mentary allowance is in keeping with women’s increas­ing economic independence.

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INTRODUCTIONFIND OUT HOW THE DISCONTINUATION OF THE
SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCE AFFECTS YOU

You were born before 1 January 1950;■■ Your partner is younger than you.
■■Nothing will change for you. You will continue to receivea supplementary allowance as long as your partner isunder 65 and has little or no income.
■■■■You were born on or after 1 January 1950;
Your partner is younger than you and has income
from work exceeding € 1,251.08 gross per month orincome related to previous work exceeding € 694.19
gross per month.

The discontinuation of the supplementary allowance will■■

you could buy an annuity or single-premium insur­
ance policy. If you are considering this option, it isadvisable to seek advice from a financial expert.

If you are also entitled to a company pension apart fromyour AOW pension, we advise you to contact your pen­sion fund or pension insurer to inquire whether they
offer any possibilities for compensating for the absence ofa supplementary allowance.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONSThis leaflet contains general information only. If you
need more specific information relating to your personal
situation, go to www.svb.nl/int/en/aow. If you still
have any questions after visiting our website, you canphone your SVB office.

not have any financial consequences for you as yourpartner’s income exceeds the level for payment of a sup-­HOW TO CONTACT US

You were born on or after 1 January 1950;■■ Your partner is younger than you and has either noincome or income from work of less than € 1,251.08
gross a month or income related to previous work ofless than € 694.19 gross per month.
■■The discontinuation of the supplementary allowance will
have financial consequences for you.

POSSIBLE MEASURES TO COMPENSATE FOR
THE DISCONTINUATION OF THE SUPPLE­MENTARY ALLOWANCE

Whether you need to take measures to offset the conse­
quences of the discontinuation of the supplementaryallowance depends on your financial situation. If you
have sufficient financial means yourself to bridge theperiod until your partner is entitled to a pension, forexample, if you have sufficient savings or will have paid
off your mortgage by the time you turn 65, it might not
be necessary for you to take measures.
However, if you wish to prevent a drop in income,there are certain measures you could take:■■ you could continue working after your 65th birthday;■■ your partner could start working;■■ you could start depositing money in a savings
account;

BREDA

ROERMOND(076) 548 50 10
Rat Verleghstraat 24815 NZ Breda(0475) 36 80 10
Laurentiusplein 86043 CS Roermond

DEVENTERROTTERDAM(0570) 50 60 10
Snipperlingsdijk 27417 BJ Deventer(010) 417 40 10
Posthumalaan 100
3072 AG Rotterdam

GRONINGENUTRECHT(050) 316 90 10
Cascadeplein 59726 AD Groningen(030) 264 90 10
Graadt van Roggenweg 400
3531 AH Utrecht

LEIDENZAANSTAD(071) 512 96 10
Stationsplein 12312 AJ Leiden(075) 655 10 10
Stationsstraat 112
1506 DK Zaandam

NIJMEGEN

internet:www.svb.nl/int/en/aow(024) 343 10 10
Takenhofplein 46538 SZ Nijmegen

9104EZ/1109

plementary allowance.