Pensions for the self-employed in Belgium: PLCI, IPC, POZ and the statutory pension in 2026

The pension of a self-employed person in Belgium rests on four pillars: the statutory NISSE (INASTI) pension (compulsory first pillar), the PLCI/VAPZ or free supplementary pension for the self-employed (second pillar open to everyone), the IPC or individual pension commitment through a company (company second pillar, subject to the 80% rule), and the POZ/CPTI or pension agreement for the self-employed, for those working in their own name.

Tax-advantaged pension savings (third pillar) and free savings (fourth pillar) complete these schemes.

The PLCI is the first choice for almost all self-employed people in Belgium: 100% deductible as a business expense, 2026 ceiling of €4,086.34 (standard PLCI) or €4,701.54 (social PLCI), available from your first financial year and outside the 80% rule. It can be combined freely with an IPC through a company and with a POZ in your own name.

After a full career, a self-employed person living alone receives a guaranteed minimum of €1,844.93 gross per month (NISSE, amounts at 1 March 2026). The average pension actually paid to the self-employed, including incomplete careers, is much lower: around €1,243 per month. That is nowhere near enough to maintain your working standard of living, which is why the second and third pillars (PLCI, IPC, POZ, pension savings) are so critical.

Yes, but under certain conditions. The PLCI can be combined freely with the IPC and the POZ (it is excluded from the 80% rule).

The IPC and the POZ, on the other hand, share the same tax ceiling: the 80% rule caps supplementary + statutory pension at 80% of your last normal gross remuneration, projected over 40 years. In practice: the IPC is reserved for company directors paid regularly; the POZ is aimed at the self-employed working in their own name.

For the PLCI, the IPC and the POZ, the capital built up is taxed at 10% (notional conversion annuity) when it is paid at 60 to a self-employed person who keeps working until the statutory age, or at the statutory age (65/67). A NIHDI (INAMI) contribution of 3.55% and a solidarity contribution (0 to 2%) are added. Cashing in before 60 triggers much heavier tax (up to 33%).

As soon as you reach ~€24,595 of net taxable income (8.17% × 24,595 ≈ €2,010), the PLCI starts to produce a marked leverage effect thanks to the deduction and the saving on social security contributions (~20.5%). At the ceiling (€4,086.34), the total saving (personal income tax + contributions) typically reaches 50 to 70% of the premium paid, depending on your marginal personal income tax bracket.

The 80% rule limits the supplementary pension built up through a company (IPC) or through a POZ. Statutory pension + supplementary pension may not exceed 80% of your last normal gross remuneration, adjusted to a 40-year career. The calculation is actuarial: the maximum deductible IPC or POZ premium is recalibrated each year according to your remuneration and career.

The indicative threshold lies between €60,000 and €80,000 of annual net taxable income. Above that, moving to an SRL/BV gives you access to the IPC (deduction of an annual premium that can reach €20,000 to €30,000) and lets you benefit from the corporate income tax rate (20% SME or 25% standard), well below the 50% marginal personal income tax rate. The trade-off also depends on the running costs of the company (accountant, publication with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises) and on how much current income you need.

The statutory pension age has been 66 since 1 February 2025 and will rise to 67 in 2030 for people born on or after 1 January 1964. Early retirement remains possible: from 60 with a 44-year career, 61 with 43 years, 63 with 42 years. The supplementary pension schemes (PLCI, IPC, POZ) are aligned: capital ideally paid at the statutory age to benefit from the 10% rate. Note: from 1 January 2027, the Law of 30 May 2026 tightens these conditions. A year will only count if it includes at least 156 working days, and a penalty of 2 to 5% per year of early retirement, depending on your year of birth, will apply permanently to anyone who leaves without having 35 years of 156 days and 7,020 days of actual work.

Yes, pension savings (third pillar) remain a worthwhile addition: a 30% federal tax reduction on premiums up to €1,050, or 25% up to €1,350 depending on the ceiling you choose. The third pillar does not count towards the 80% rule and can therefore be combined with the PLCI, the IPC and the POZ. On the other hand, it has its own individual ceiling and is subject to advance taxation at age 60 (8%).