The academic pension fund
AkademikerPension is a member-owned pension fund for academics We offer one of the pension industry’s strongest value propositions at a single, low, transparent price.
People who have moved to Denmark to work can join our plan either through their collective agreement or by enrolling privately.
When you join AkademikerPension, you not only gain access to a comprehensive package that includes attractive insurance, pension and health schemes, you also become part of a fund in which:
- You are a co-owner who benefits from the same conditions as all our members
- You earn strong, long-term returns based on responsible investment principles
- You pay low costs and no hidden fees
Read more about the options for joining us as an international worker, as well as if you decide to leave Denmark on this page.
Contact details
- Phone: + 45 39 150 150
- E-mail: medlem@akademikerpension.dk
Opening hours
- Monday to Thursday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Benefits of choosing us
When you sign up for an AkademikerPension policy, you become a co-owner.
Members of AkademikerPension receive several benefits. The following sections tell you more.
All our members are enrolled in the AlfaPension scheme.
This means your finances will automatically be protected if you are suddenly affected by critical illness or unable to work. You will also open a savings account with the risk level adjusted to your age.
Both your insurance and savings plans can be tailored, allowing you to choose the coverage and investment risk that best suits you.
You will receive health protection in addition to your pension plan.
DKK 79 per month is paid through your pension scheme, giving you healthcare coverage and the option to purchase additional private hospital treatment and/or personal health protection for your partner and children.
Our primary goal is to ensure you enjoy a financially secure retirement, allowing you to live the life you desire. We therefore focus on generating the best possible returns on your retirement savings.
We believe responsibility is the prerequisite for healthy, long-term returns. So, our investments focus on issues including climate, the environment, and human rights.
Our members trust us to be a positive force for social development every day. We are committed to promoting the green transition and supporting the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
All AkademikerPension members invest in the climate and contribute to the green transition. This means there is no need to opt in to green investments.
Free advice is always available by phone or email.
Members can also access our self-service platform, which provides an easy-to-use overview of your pension scheme, allowing you to adjust it as your needs evolve.
It is important that you have a clear view of what you’re paying for.
That’s why we offer all our members the same conditions and have no hidden fees.
Pension schemes
If your employment is covered by a collective agreement, you may be exempt from paying pension contributions.
Your insurance coverage remains the same regardless of your chosen pension scheme, but the tax will be handled differently.
Please note you will need to pay a minimum of DKK 1,500 per month to receive pension scheme protection including an insurance package.
Under the collective agreement that covers all academic staff, your employer will pay AkademikerPension a monthly pension contribution of the base salary + pensionable supplements.
In Denmark, contributions paid into the pension fund are tax-free. This means you will not need to pay tax on the contributions paid into your pension fund. Tax will then be deducted when you start receiving payments from your pension account.
If you take out your pension savings when you reach retirement age, the tax rate will depend on your financial situation and the pension tax legislation in force at that time.
Under this scheme, your employer will transfer a monthly pension contribution to the relevant pension fund. This pension contribution is a percentage of your base salary + pensionable supplements. However, the monthly pension contribution will be taxed immediately in line with your current tax status. This means you will pay tax on your pension contribution every month.
If you are covered by the researcher tax scheme flat rate of 27% tax (plus 8% labour market contribution), your monthly pension contribution will therefore be subject to approximately 32.84% tax every month. If you are not eligible for the researcher tax scheme, you will be taxed according to your Danish tax card rate. This usually ranges between 37% and 42%.
All tax on the pension earned during your university employment will already have been paid when you draw on your pension savings.
Please note that the return on investments earned by your section 53a pension scheme is subject to standard Danish capital gains tax, which usually ranges between 37% and 42%.
Important
If you decide to pay into a pension plan while covered by the researcher tax scheme, your pension contributions will be taxed under favourable terms. The international scheme will therefore be the most beneficial pension solution for you. (The “ordinary pension contribution scheme” is subject to standard tax rates.)
The Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) have agreed a new protocol that exempts all international researchers employed by a university or similar institution from paying pension contributions.
This means you will receive the amount equivalent to your pension contribution together with your monthly salary. This amount will be taxed in line with your current tax status, irrespective of whether you are covered by the researcher tax scheme or the standard Danish tax rate.
You must meet the following requirements to be exempt from pension contributions:
- Employed as a researcher, research assistant, PhD fellow, postdoc, assistant professor, associate professor or professor.
- Not hold Danish citizenship.
- Have signed a fixed-term employment contract lasting up to a maximum of five years.
- Be recruited directly from outside Denmark.
If your research employment contract is extended, or if you move jobs from one Danish university to another, this pension exemption will apply for a maximum total duration of five years (or six years if this is agreed by your trade union representative and your department).
Pension exemption agreements cannot be retroactive. Any pension contributions made previously by the employer to the relevant pension fund cannot be reimbursed.
If you opt for pension exemption instead of ordinary pension contributions, you will not benefit from the insurance coverage included in the pension scheme. It is therefore advisable to consider taking out additional private insurance. You will only be covered by the compulsory group life insurance policy, which provides basic coverage in case of critical illness or death.
It’s a good idea to decide which pension scheme you would like to take out before starting work. You must inform your employer if you wish to switch pension scheme. They will then register the change, which will be implemented in the following month’s salary payment. Your employer will notify the pension fund of this change. Remember that changes cannot be applied retroactively.
Please note that you will automatically be registered for the ordinary pension scheme, unless you inform your employer of your pension scheme preferences.
Opt-in pensions
If you wish to sign up for our pension scheme independently, simply opt in and become a member.
All you need to do is send us the following information via email:
- Full Name
- Adress
- Postcode and city
- CPR number (Central Person Register number)
- The amount you would like to pay into your pension every month.
Leaving Denmark
You have two options if you leave Denmark when your employment ends:
- You can leave your pension savings in your pension account and draw a pension when the time comes.
- You can withdraw your pension savings when you leave Denmark.
If you choose to leave your pension savings in your pension account, please read the next two sections on Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) and Pension Asset Growth (PAL) tax below. If you are considering withdrawing your pension savings, more information about the tax applicable is provided in the relevant section.
When you have a Danish pension scheme but live abroad, the law requires us (as your pension fund) to report information about your scheme to the Danish Tax Agency.
We need to know your Tax Identification Number (TIN) to be able to report this information.
What is a Tax Identification Number?
This number is used to identify the individual taxpayer. If you live or have lived in Denmark, your tax identification number is your Danish CPR number.
Other countries assign special tax identification numbers, which are only used for tax purposes. These are often referred to as a TIN (Tax Identification Number).
The OECD website helps you find your Tax Identification Number in the country where you live.
You can send us your Tax Identification Number by completing the contact form using the button below. Complete the following actions:
- Select the "Medlem (privatperson)" field.
- Select the "En pensionsrådgiver" field and press the "næste" button.
- Select "Skatteidentifikationsnummer (TIN)", complete the remaining fields and click "Send".
Please note that this does not apply to you if your savings are in a § 53A scheme.
If you live outside Denmark and are not fully taxable here, you may be exempt from having to pay tax on your pension asset growth (PAL tax). However, you must inform the tax authorities (SKAT) of this situation.
SKAT exemption certificates must be sent to us, so we can exempt you from paying PAL tax.
You can apply for an exemption certificate using form 07.058, which is available on the skat.dk website.
Ordinary pension scheme
If you choose to withdraw your pension savings before you reach retirement age, you will currently be liable to pay 60% tax on your savings.
International pension scheme (§ 53 A of the Danish Pension Tax Act)
If you choose to take out pension savings that were taxed when paid into your pension fund before you reach the age of retirement, you will not pay any taxes on withdrawal.