The Swedish state pension, explained
The allmän ålderspension has two parts: inkomstpension, built from pension credits accrued into a notional account and divided by a life-expectancy divisor at claim, and garantipension, a safety net that is TAPERED — not a flat amount everyone gets. This page covers both parts, with the provision behind each figure.
Two parts: income pension and guarantee pension
The allmän ålderspension has two parts. Inkomstpension (income pension) is built up across your working life as a pensionsrätt (pension credit) is added to a running pensionsbehållning (notional account), which at claim is divided by a delningstal (life-expectancy divisor) to give the annual pension. Garantipension (guarantee pension) is a safety net for those with low or no income pension — but it is TAPERED, not a flat amount everyone gets on top.
Legal basis: 62 kap. 3 §, socialförsäkringsbalken (2010:110)
Income pension: credit and division
The pensionsbehållning is built from an annual pensionsrätt (pension credit), revalued for arvsvinster (inheritance gains from those who die before claiming), an income-index or balance-index uprating, an administration-cost deduction, and — since 2026-08-01 — an utdelningsfaktor when one is fixed for the year.
Legal basis: 62 kap. 5 §, 61 kap. 4-6 §§, socialförsäkringsbalken (2010:110)
The pension credit is 16,0 % of the contribution base. See the credit, the ceiling and the divisor in detail
Legal basis: 61 kap. 6 §, socialförsäkringsbalken (2010:110)
Guarantee pension: two bands, not a floor
| Marital status | Band 1 (up to the threshold) | Band 2 (above the threshold) |
|---|---|---|
| Unmarried | Up to 1,26 price base amounts: tapered krona-for-krona (100%) from 2,43 price base amounts. | Above it, 1,17 price base amounts, tapered at 48 % of the amount above. |
| Married | Up to 1,14 price base amounts: tapered krona-for-krona (100%) from 2,20 price base amounts. | Above it, 1,06 price base amounts, tapered at 48 % of the amount above. |
Two bands, not a floor: the first band reduces krona-for-krona, the second continues at a lower rate until the guarantee reaches zero at a certain assessment base. The Act states no explicit floor-at-zero — the arithmetic itself produces it.
The guarantee pension is tapered against a HYPOTHETICAL income pension — as if the whole contribution had been 18.5%, not the real 16% the income pension above is actually built on. Read what the taper is actually computed against
Legal basis: 67 kap. 15-16, 21-24 §§, socialförsäkringsbalken (2010:110)
When you can draw ålderspension
Income-based ålderspension can be claimed from as early as three years before your riktålder. See the riktålder for your birth year
Legal basis: 56 kap. 3 §, socialförsäkringsbalken (2010:110)