Automatic, or personal application?
If you work as an employee or civil servant until your legal retirement age, the Federal Pension Service calculates your pension automatically. You don't need to request anything. If you want to retire early, you must submit an application yourself. For the self-employed, a similar automatic review applies. For this, you must reside in Belgium on the first day of the 15th month before you reach the legal retirement age.
On time, but not too early
An application can be submitted as early as 12 months before your desired retirement date. With that application, all your possible entitlements are reviewed: as an employee, civil servant, self-employed and possibly IGO. You only need to submit one application, not one per scheme.
Important: thinking your pension always arranges itself automatically is a common mistake. If you want to retire early, you must request it yourself, it doesn't happen automatically.
Certainty about your pension file
Whether you need to submit an application depends on your career and your desired retirement date. Connect Inn checks which situation applies to you, completes the application correctly and follows up on the file. You can simply visit during office hours, an appointment is not necessary.