Wtp Checklist: Is your pension scheme ready for 2027?

January 1, 2028 is the deadline for the Wet toekomst pensioenen (Future of Pensions Act).

For many employers with a scheme through an insurer or PPI (premium pension institution), the transitieplan (transition plan) needs to be ready by October 1, 2027 — and preparation takes six to twelve months. For a lot of employers, that means time is starting to run out.

This checklist helps you figure out where you stand and what still needs to happen.

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1. Choose your type of premieregeling (defined contribution scheme)

The Wtp (Wet toekomst pensioenen) requires all pension schemes to switch to a premieregeling with a flat premium across all age groups. Within that requirement, you have three options as an employer: a flexibele premieregeling (flexible defined contribution scheme), a solidaire premieregeling (collective defined contribution scheme), or a premie-uitkeringsovereenkomst (premium-benefit agreement). They differ in how much choice participants get and how risks and returns are shared.

1. ‍Flexibele premieregeling (flexible defined contribution scheme)

‍Every participant has their own pension pot that moves with the investment market. Upside: maximum transparency for the employee. Downside: pension income is less predictable because it depends directly on investment returns.

2. ‍Solidaire premieregeling (collective defined contribution scheme)

‍Returns are shared collectively and redistributed across all participants. Upside: more stability in payouts because risks are spread. Downside: individual participants have less direct visibility into their own returns.

3. ‍Premie-uitkeringsovereenkomst (premium-benefit agreement)

‍A hybrid form where the accumulation phase is individual, but the payout is converted into a fixed periodic payment. Upside: certainty about the payout amount after retirement. Downside: less flexibility and freedom of choice in the payout phase.

Which option suits your organisation best depends on the makeup of your team, your employees' preferences, and what your current provider offers. This is the first and most decisive choice in the entire process. Take your time with it.

Checkpoint: Have you already chosen one of the three premium schemes?

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2. Decide whether to compensate your employees

The switch to a flat premium across all age groups often works out worse for older employees. Under the old system, they built up more through higher premium contributions. With a flat premium, they accumulate less than they were used to.

As an employer, you need to decide whether and how to compensate this group. There are several ways to do it, and the best solution differs per organisation. If you do nothing, you risk dissatisfaction and legal claims.

Checkpoint: Have you mapped out which employees are worse off and how you'll compensate them?

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3. Decide on eerbiedigende werking (grandfathering)

Eerbiedigende werking is an alternative to compensation. In this case, only new employees move to the new scheme. Existing employees stay on the old scheme, with a premium that keeps rising as they get older.

The upside is that you don't need to compensate anyone. The downside is that you end up running two schemes side by side. Employees in the same role then receive different pension contributions from you — which is hard to explain and can cause friction, especially among younger employees who see a new colleague getting a higher premium contribution.

This is an active choice you need to make deliberately, not something you skip over.

Checkpoint: Have you made a conscious decision about eerbiedigende werking — yes or no?

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4. Rearrange the nabestaandenpensioen (survivor's pension)

The nabestaandenpensioen changes along with the Wtp. Under the old system, the death benefit was linked to salary, franchise (offset amount), and years of service. In the new scheme, it's a percentage of salary, which makes the calculation simpler.

As an employer, you need to make new choices here. Some groups of employees end up better off, others worse off. A cost-neutral solution that's equally fair for everyone doesn't exist. You can cushion the difference for certain groups with supplementary insurance.

Communicate clearly about this change. Employees who have dependants need to know what's changing.

Checkpoint: Have you made and communicated the choices for the new nabestaandenpensioen?

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5. Draft a transitieplan (transition plan) before October 1, 2027

When switching to the new pension scheme, you're required as an employer to draw up a transitieplan. In that plan, you document which choices you've made, on what basis, and how the transition will be as fair as possible for all participants.

This plan needs to be submitted by October 1, 2027 at the latest. That's earlier than the final deadline of January 1, 2028, because providers need time to implement everything on the technical side. If you're late, you risk the transition not being sorted in time.

The transitieplan also forms the basis for the consent request to the employee representation body.

Checkpoint: Has the transitieplan been drafted or scheduled, and is the October 1, 2027 deadline in your calendar?

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6. Involve the medezeggenschap (employee representation) on time

Do you have an ondernemingsraad (works council), personeelsvertegenwoordiging (employee representative body), or are trade unions involved? Then you need their consent to change the pension scheme. That applies not just to the transitieplan, but also to the choices around compensation and scheme type.

Involve the medezeggenschap early in the process — not at the point where decisions have already been made. They have the right to think along and genuinely influence the outcome.

On top of the medezeggenschap, in most cases you also need individual consent from employees themselves to change their pension scheme. The exception is when the pension scheme is part of a cao (collective labour agreement).

Checkpoint: Have you already informed and involved the medezeggenschap?

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7. Communicate clearly to your employees

The Wtp explicitly places the communication obligation on the employer. Employees have the right to clear information about what's changing, what it means for their personal situation, and when the changes take effect.

Vague or late communication breeds unrest and distrust. Plan your communication as a fixed part of the transition process, not as an afterthought.

Through the Vive app, employees have direct insight into their personal pension assets after the switch. That makes communication tangible: no abstract promises, but an amount they can track themselves.

Vive works best when you fully switch to a new pension scheme as an employer, opt for eerbiedigende werking, or use Vive as a top-up alongside an existing scheme to compensate older employees for what they miss out on under the new system. Do you have a verplicht bedrijfstakpensioenfonds (mandatory industry pension fund) or are you still locked into a running contract for several years? Then the options are more limited. In that case, it's smart to first check what's possible within your specific situation.

Checkpoint: Is there a communication plan for employees, including timing and content?

[Read more about pension for employees]

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Use the Wtp as an opportunity

The switch to a new pension scheme takes time and attention. At the same time, it's a good moment to consider whether your pension scheme still fits who you want to be as an employer.

For many employees, pension is a significant employment benefit. A modern, transparent scheme where employees can see what they're building up makes a real difference in recruitment and retention. Vive clients like Miyagami, One Hundred, and Jopp already actively use their pension scheme as part of their employer branding.

Curious what Vive can do for your organisation? Schedule an introduction and discover the possibilities.

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