Pension advice

Raising awareness about pensions is the mission of Herman Smit, Pension & Income Advisor at CROP. Herman is happy to help you and your employees make the right decisions, so you don’t end up facing unpleasant surprises.

  “A while ago, I had a client nearing retirement age. To his dismay, he discovered that his pension would only cover about one-third of his current income, leaving him with a significant deficit.”

  “To close that pension gap, he would have needed to save around €20,000 per year! That amount wasn’t feasible for him. Another option was to work part-time after retirement, which took away his freedom. These are the kinds of conversations you’d rather avoid.”

Pension is perhaps the most important (and costly) part of secondary employment benefits. In some cases, you are even legally required to offer a pension to your employees. Are you facing pension issues for the first time as an employer? Don’t worry, you are not alone.

However, pensions can seem like a complex topic. Do you know what happens if it turns out you are subject to a mandatory pension plan? Should you offer a salary where the employee manages their own pension, or a pension plan? Do you know how your own pension is set up as a director or owner?

In practice, pensions aren’t that complicated. An introductory meeting with Herman can help you start your journey.

Does your company fall under the Dutch free-choice pension plan? If so, you probably have a significant project ahead. You have until January 1, 2028, to adjust your pension plan. After that, everything must be arranged.

Setting up or adjusting a pension plan is a big task. It requires a lot of research and coordination. It’s not something you can handle on the side, but it’s definitely important.

Client: “Recently, I lost an employee to a competitor because they were able to offer a pension plan, while I could not. That really made me stop and think.”

We are happy to take the process of creating or modifying a pension plan off your hands. It usually starts with a consultation.

Are the activities of your company/business still covered by the free choice pension scheme? Maybe your business activities have changed, forcing you to be covered by a collective agreement with a pension obligation. Industry-wide pension funds actively seek companies to join them.

This often starts with an innocent-looking letter on the doormat, but it can end in a compulsory affiliation to an industry-wide pension fund and sky-high costs.

We are happy to carry out a short industry-wide pension check. Using this check, we can find out whether your business activities may be covered by a compulsory scheme. We recommend checking this every five years. Have you received such a letter? We will be happy to help you.

Herman is a seasoned specialist in the pension field. Not only can he explain even the most difficult pension issues clearly, but after Herman walks you through his world, you might even start to enjoy pension planning yourself!

Contact Herman

• Building up a pension pot for when your employee retires
• Financial security for the partner and children if an employee passes away
• Financial support and continued pension accrual in case of disability

“I love pointing out the possibilities to employers and employees. I don’t mind how you arrange your pension, but I do care that you do it consciously. That’s my mission. I want to help both the employer and the employee.”

1.    Grab a Coffee

We are happy to schedule an introductory meeting with you. We can schedule an introductory meeting at our office or yours. We’d love to hear your views on pensions and what you aim to achieve. And, of course, this is free of charge.

1.    Assess the Situation

Using data like your employee details, we develop broad scenarios for a (modified) pension plan and calculate them. One scenario is based on what the government sees as a good pension, another based on your budget, and one focused on good employer practices. After your choice, we can start narrowing it down.

1.    Advice

Based on the proposed plan’s framework, we look for a pension provider that fits best. Then it’s up to you to decide whether to proceed (or not).

1.    Implementation

If you choose to implement the advice—great! We ensure the administration is set up properly and manage the project planning and communication with the provider. We can also introduce the new plan to your employees. This way, you can focus on other matters, knowing it’s all taken care of.

1.    Aftercare

After completion, we like to stay in touch. We assist with plan management, and you can appoint us as a point of contact for pension-related questions. We aim for long-term relationships.