What Is Partial Retirement?

There are many ways to retire. In this article, we summarize partial retirement and the 3600-day model — who can benefit from it, how the premium-age calculation works, and critical points regarding the insurance start date and severance pay.

What is partial retirement?

Partial retirement is a system that allows an insured employee to retire even though they have not yet met all the conditions required for full retirement, by completing a certain number of premium payment days and insurance periods. This practice offers early retirement opportunities, especially for insured persons who have not yet met the age requirement or have insufficient premium days. In Türkiye, partial retirement is regulated under Law No. 5510 on Social Insurance and General Health Insurance, along with its transitional provisions. In addition, the transitional rights in the former Social Insurance Law No. 506, which applies to those who started insurance before September 8, 1999, are also decisive in this matter.

In normal (full) retirement, employees must meet all conditions regarding age, premium days, and insurance periods completely. In partial retirement, however, some of these conditions are relaxed; usually, the age requirement or premium days are lower. For example, while full retirement requires 7,200 premium days for women and 9,000 for men, in partial retirement, these figures can drop to 3,600 or even 4,500 days. However, in this case, the pension amount will also be lower, depending on the length of the premium period.

Partial retirement serves as a transitional right that provides social security for individuals who have worked for many years but, for various reasons, have not yet completed their premium days or are waiting to reach the age requirement. In this respect, the system aims both to prevent grievances for those who have long contributed to the workforce and to maintain the balance of social security.

What are the conditions for partial retirement?

Number of premium days: The number of premium days required for partial retirement is lower compared to full retirement. For example, within the scope of SSK (Social Insurance Institution), the 3,600-day premium condition is often mentioned. In some cases, the 4,500-day condition may also apply.

Insurance period: The total period an individual has been insured, i.e., the insurance or service period, is another condition. A criterion such as “at least 15 years of insurance” is frequently mentioned in most sources, although in some special cases, a longer period, such as 25 years, may also be required.

Age requirement: In partial retirement, the age limit takes effect once the premium and insurance period requirements are met. However, this age limit may vary depending on the person’s insurance start date and the date when the premium completion requirement is fulfilled. For example, for partial retirement, the age limit is often stated as 58 for women and 60 for men.

Differences between women and men

Age limit (gradual age application)
The age at which one can retire under partial retirement varies depending on when the premium and insurance conditions are fulfilled. Generally, the age limit for women is lower than for men. For instance, for those eligible for partial retirement with 3,600 days, the age limit for women varies between 50–58, while for men it ranges between 55–60.

Insurance period and premium days + completion date effect
In the partial retirement conditions for women and men, the “number of premium days + insurance period” conditions are usually the same; however, the completion date criterion is considered more favorable for women. For example, depending on the woman’s insurance start date or premium completion date, the applicable retirement age may be lower.
Moreover, in the 4,500-day premium partial retirement condition, a longer insurance period may be required for both women and men, but the age limit sometimes remains more advantageous for women.

Effect of insurance start date and transitional provisions
The right to partial retirement is a privilege granted especially to those who started insurance before September 8, 1999. This privilege is more evident for women. For instance, for women with an insurance start date before 1999, the right to partial retirement is granted with 3,600 days and 15 years, and the age limit may be 50.
The same type of transitional provisions apply to men, but the age limit is higher, and the gradual increase in the retirement age is more restrictive for men.

Differences in the number of premium days applied
According to some sources, in cases where a woman’s insurance start date is later, the number of premium days (for example, 5,400 days) may be defined differently for both women and men. For instance, it is stated that for women whose insurance started for the first time on or after May 1, 2008, the condition of 5,400 days may apply.

The right to retirement with 3,600 days

The right to retirement with 3,600 days, also known among the public as the “15 years – 3,600 days retirement” or “partial retirement,” is a regulation that allows insured persons who have not yet met full retirement conditions but have completed certain premium and insurance periods to retire with an age requirement. It particularly applies to those whose insurance started before September 8, 1999.

Who can benefit?

To be eligible for retirement with 3,600 days, three basic conditions must be met simultaneously. These are as follows:

• The insurance start date must be before September 8, 1999.
• The person must have paid at least 3,600 premium days and completed 15 years of insurance.
• The age requirement is determined gradually based on the date when the 3,600-day + 15-year conditions are met, and different age limits apply for women and men.

For example, women who met these conditions on May 23, 2002, are entitled to retire at the age of 50, while men can retire at 55. If the conditions are met at a later date, the age limit gradually increases to 52, 54, 56, and so on; ultimately, the age limit is set at 58 for women and 60 for men.

 

Sources:  1, 2.  

 

"The information in this article is based on the legal regulations in force as of 16.06.2006. In line with changes and updates in social security legislation, the conditions and requirements may change in the future."

 

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