For those who are thinking of requesting the ordinary early pension, 2027 will not be the only year where increases in the contribution age are expected. In fact, from 1 January 2028, men will need 43 years and 1 month of actual payments while women will need 42 years and 1 month, two months more than next year.
For further information: INPS payments September 2026: the dates to mark on the calendar
Calendar - ©IPA/Fotogramma
The increase in the contribution age, which is different from the chronological age as it corresponds to the "effective" period of work, is determined by the same mechanism that links pension requirements to life expectancy in Italy, certified by Istat. For the two-year period 2027-28 the government has established a soft extension, spread over two periods: the first month immediately and the other two from the following year.
For further information: Pension September 2026, INPS could withhold 5% of the check: here's who risks it
For workers "close" to the finish line, it becomes essential to see in which year the requirement will be accrued. After the extraordinary adjustment, from 2029 the mechanisms relating to life expectancy provided by law will return to play and further changes with respect to the system of 43 years and 1 month for men and 42 years and 1 month for women are not excluded.
For further information: Pensions, hypothesis of early exit at 64: the possible innovations of the 2027 Budget
Not all categories of workers are affected by the increases for the ordinary early pension. For those who carry out activities recognized by law as strenuous or burdensome, the contribution adjustment foreseen for 2027 and 2028 is effectively frozen. Men will be able to continue to access with at least 42 years and 10 months, women with 41 years and 10 months. The same list also includes some categories of early workers who started working before the age of 19 and who perform particularly heavy tasks. Physical fatigue, however, is only one of the requirements to obtain exemption: other subjective factors come into play such as, for example, the state of unemployment, the role of caregiver or civil disability recognized at least 74%.
Another element to keep in mind is the time window, the period between reaching the requirement for ordinary early retirement and the moment in which the treatment can actually be received. For this method of leaving work, there is normally a time period of three months before the effective date, which in any case should not be considered for the purposes of calculating contributions.
Longer waiting times are expected for some public sector workers registered with specific social security schemes. From the maximum five months expected for the whole of 2026, from next year the window is destined to extend to seven months and then to nine from 2028.
Differences also exist with regard to the type of professional classification. For workers with an employee relationship, access to the ordinary early pension is subject to the cessation of the activity itself, a requirement which is not required for those who carry out the activity as a self-employed person.
To retire early it is not sufficient to calculate the years of contributions accrued. With the beginning of 2027, both the time to reach the minimum requirements and the waiting window for the actual implementation will be extended. A few months can determine substantial differences between leaving work with the current rules or with more stringent requirements. Before applying for this mechanism, it is important to check the rules established by your social security management and the contributions actually credited as well as any redemption periods - such as the years of university study before obtaining the degree - and the exact date on which the minimum threshold required will be reached.
For further information: Pension, payslip for September 2026: how to consult the 730 refund, amounts and adjustments
