Best Retirement Lawyers in Hasselt

About Retirement Law in Hasselt, Belgium

Retirement in Hasselt follows Belgian federal law. The system is built on three pillars. The first pillar is the statutory pension administered by the Federal Pensions Service for employees, self-employed workers, and most public servants. The second pillar is the supplementary occupational pension arranged by employers through a pension fund or insurer and supervised by the Financial Services and Markets Authority. The third pillar covers voluntary individual pension savings with tax incentives. The legal retirement age in Belgium is currently 66 and is scheduled to rise to 67 in 2030. Your entitlement and amount depend on your career length, earnings, social security contributions, and specific rules that apply to your worker status. If you live in Hasselt, you deal with national institutions, but local services like the city social service and the Limburg labour court are relevant for guidance and dispute resolution.

Why You May Need a Lawyer

Many retirement questions can be handled directly with the Federal Pensions Service, but legal help can be critical in certain situations. If you receive a decision that incorrectly records your career years or wages, a lawyer can challenge it and protect deadlines. If you worked in multiple countries, coordination under European Union rules can be complex and professional advice helps ensure each country pays its share. If you have a mixed career as an employee and self-employed person, combining records, assimilated periods, and minimum pension rights may require interpretation. If you are divorcing or divorced, derived pension rights for a divorced spouse and the impact on survivors benefits can be significant. If your employer offers a supplementary pension, a lawyer can review plan rules, vested rights, early exit options, and payout terms, and can act if returns or fees are not compliant with the law on supplementary pensions. If you plan to work while retired, a lawyer can clarify income ceilings and how they apply to your case. If your health or unemployment history includes assimilated periods, counsel can verify that these are fully counted. If a loved one dies, a lawyer can assist with survivors pensions or transitional allowances and any disputes about eligibility or cohabitation status. Finally, if taxation of your pension or lump sum seems incorrect, a lawyer with social security and tax experience can assist with objections and appeals.

Local Laws Overview

Statutory pensions are governed by federal legislation that applies in Hasselt and across Belgium. Key features include the current legal retirement age of 66, the increase to 67 in 2030, and the possibility of early retirement if you meet specific age and career length requirements. A full career for employees and self-employed is generally 45 years. The pension is calculated using your recorded career, pensionable earnings, and a legal formula. Periods such as sickness, unemployment, maternity or paternity leave, and career breaks can be assimilated and count toward your career, subject to conditions. Belgium provides a minimum pension for those with sufficient career years and indexation to protect purchasing power. There are survivor pensions and transitional allowances for a surviving partner, subject to age, household, and income rules. A divorced spouse may be entitled to a derived pension based on the ex-partner's career during the marriage if conditions are met.

Second pillar supplementary pensions are regulated by the law on supplementary pensions. Rights vest after legal waiting periods, are portable when you change employer, and must meet a statutory minimum return that varies within a legal band. At retirement, benefits can usually be taken as a lump sum or annuity, with specific tax treatment and social contributions that depend on your age and work status at the time of payout. Third pillar savings are voluntary and benefit from tax relief within annual limits.

Taxes on pensions are levied at the federal level, with municipal surcharges based on your residence, including Hasselt. Lump sums from second pillar plans are subject to specific withholding rates and social contributions that depend on conditions such as remaining professionally active until the legal retirement age. Cross-border situations are governed by European Union coordination rules and double taxation treaties, with each country paying its portion of your pension.

Disputes about pension rights are brought before the labour court. For residents of Hasselt, the competent labour court is in the judicial district of Limburg. Appeals against administrative decisions generally have strict time limits, typically three months from notification. Social security proceedings are designed to be accessible and do not require court fees, but legal representation improves your chances of a correct outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the legal retirement age in Belgium now

The legal retirement age is 66. Under current law, it will increase to 67 in 2030. You can still qualify earlier if you meet the early retirement age and career length conditions that apply to your employment history.

Can I retire early and what conditions apply

Early retirement is possible if you meet minimum age and career length thresholds. The general pathway allows retirement in your early sixties when you have a long career, with specific relaxations for very long careers and some public sector roles. Because thresholds may change, always check your personal record on the national pension portal or request a formal calculation from the Federal Pensions Service.

How is my statutory pension calculated

Your pension uses your recorded career years, pensionable earnings, and a legal fraction per year of service. Periods of sickness, unemployment, parental leave, and similar events can count as assimilated periods. The system distinguishes between employees, self-employed, and public servants, each with tailored rules. The result is then adjusted for indexation and any minimum pension entitlements.

What if I worked in more than one country

European Union rules coordinate pensions so that each country where you were insured calculates and pays its own share. You normally file a single claim via the Belgian service if you live in Hasselt, and the institutions exchange information. Outside the EU, bilateral treaties may apply. Keep all proof of foreign employment and contributions.

Can I work and receive a pension at the same time

Yes. After reaching the legal retirement age or after a very long full career, you can usually combine work and pension without limits. If you retire earlier, income ceilings may apply and exceeding them can partially or fully suspend your pension for the year. The ceilings differ for employees, self-employed, and public servants, and may be adjusted annually.

How are supplementary pensions treated

Second pillar plans from your employer are additional to the statutory pension. Your rights vest according to plan rules and the law on supplementary pensions. At retirement, you can often choose a lump sum or annuity. Benefits are subject to specific tax rates and social contributions that depend on your age at payout and whether you remained professionally active until the legal retirement age. Plan documents explain your options and conditions.

What happens to pensions in case of death

A surviving spouse or legal cohabitant may be eligible for a survivor pension or a transitional allowance, depending on age, household situation, and income. Supplementary pension plans often include survivor benefits or a balance payable to beneficiaries. Notify the institutions promptly and provide civil status documents to avoid delays.

Do divorced spouses have any pension rights

In some cases, a divorced spouse may receive a derived pension based on the former partner's career during the marriage, provided conditions such as non-remarriage and age are met. This is separate from the survivor pension and does not reduce the former partner's own pension. Documentation of the marriage period and divorce is required.

How are pensions taxed in Hasselt

Statutory pensions are taxable income subject to withholding and the standard progressive rates, with specific allowances for pensioners. Municipal surcharges apply based on your residence, including Hasselt. Lump sums from second pillar plans are taxed at preferential rates under certain conditions and may be subject to health and solidarity contributions. You can request a tax simulation or seek tax advice to avoid under or overpayment.

How do I contest a pension decision

First request a written explanation or rectification from the Federal Pensions Service. If the issue remains, you can appeal to the labour court in Limburg within the legal deadline, typically three months from notification. A lawyer can draft the petition, gather evidence such as pay slips and employment attestations, and represent you in court.

Additional Resources

The Federal Pensions Service provides calculations, career records, and decisions for employees, self-employed persons, and survivors. The National Institute for the Social Security of the Self-employed manages social status and collaborates on pensions for self-employed careers. The Financial Services and Markets Authority supervises occupational pension funds and insurers. The Pensions Ombudsman offers independent dispute resolution when communication with an institution breaks down. The Federal Public Service Finance handles taxation of pensions and lump sums. The City of Hasselt public social welfare center can assist with the income guarantee for the elderly and other social support. Trade unions and recognized social secretariats can help with calculations, plan documents, and claims.

Next Steps

Start by gathering key documents such as your identity card, employment contracts, pay slips, self-employed contribution records, social security statements, and any foreign employment proofs. Review your career data and pension simulations through the national pension portal or by requesting an official calculation. If you have a supplementary pension, ask your current and former employers or plan administrators for an up-to-date benefits statement and payout options. If something seems incorrect, contact the relevant institution in writing and keep copies of all exchanges. For persistent issues or complex situations such as cross-border careers, divorce-derived rights, early retirement with ceilings, or contested calculations, consult a lawyer who focuses on social security and pension law in Limburg. Ask about deadlines, evidence needed, and the likely timeline. If urgent income support is needed, contact the Hasselt public social welfare center to check eligibility for the income guarantee for the elderly. Keep a calendar of appeal deadlines and consider authorizing a professional to represent you before the labour court if an appeal is necessary.