A young person starts their first job, the salary comes in, the pension fund deducts its contributions. It is natural to assume that saving for retirement begins at the same moment. But it is not that simple. At what age saving in the pension fund really begins surprises many.
Two things need to be kept apart. Risk cover for death and disability starts early, from 1 January after the 17th birthday, as soon as someone reaches the entry threshold with an employer. The actual retirement saving, however, that is the retirement credits that make the personal balance grow year after year, only begins at age 25. From that point on, a portion of the salary regularly flows into one's own pension capital, matched by an employer contribution that is at least as high. It is this capital that later helps finance retirement, as a pension or a lump sum. The years between 25 and 65 are therefore the real saving phase of the second pillar, and the early contributions in particular have the strongest effect over time thanks to interest and compound interest.
An image from sport makes it tangible. A young football professional signs their first contract at 19 and earns well. Even so, they only start saving for retirement in the pension fund from the age of 25, even though their active career may end much earlier than in other professions. That makes it all the more important to use these years consistently. The correct answer to the question is age 25.
