OP survey: Nearly half of Finns would like to retire before the official retirement age
A survey conducted by OP Financial Group reveals that Finns hope to retire well before the official retirement age. Most dream of early retirement because they want to spend time on something other than work. However, early retirement requires financial planning.
A survey commissioned by OP Financial Group shows that as many as 48 percent of Finns would like to retire before the official retirement age while a quarter would not want to retire early and just under a third are unsure.
The desire for early retirement is particularly strong among those aged 35–49, with over half wanting to retire before they are officially entitled to old-age pension.
"It is rather alarming that so many Finns dream of retiring early. This result shows a conflict between what an individual aspires and what the society needs. We know that extending working lives is essential for the sustainability of our pension system," says Kristiina Michelsson, Managing Director of OP Life Assurance Company Ltd.
Young adults are especially eager to retire early — a goal that demands disciplined long-term saving and investing
Nearly half of the survey respondents would prefer to retire between the ages of 60 and 69, and one in three would like to retire before the age of 60. In 2024, the expected retirement age in the earnings-related pension scheme was 63.1 years, according to the Finnish Centre for Pensions.
Those aged 26–34 are particularly keen to retire early, with one in five wanting to retire before the age of 50. This is a far cry from the retirement age targets set by the Finnish Centre for Pensions: the minimum retirement age for individuals born in 1995 is 68.
As the retirement age approaches, hopes become more realistic: 87 percent of those aged 50–64 would like to retire before the age of 70, and nine percent even later.
"When you are young, retirement seems far away, and you may not have a realistic idea of what life will be like at the age of 50, for instance. I am somewhat concerned with the fact that so many dream of ending their career before it has properly begun," says Michelsson.
Michelsson emphasizes the importance of financial planning when making retirement plans.
"If you’re serious about making early retirement a reality, it takes steady, long-term saving and investing with a clear goal in mind."
Life can be unpredictable, which is why people want to spend their time on things other than work
The main reason why people want to retire early is that they want to spend time on something other than work. As many as 49 per cent of the respondents mentioned this reason. The next most often mentioned reasons were work pressures (16%) and health reasons (12%). Only three percent of the respondents said they wanted to spend more time with family and loved ones.
"People in the busiest years of family life most frequently dream about early retirement, and they, more often than others, mention work pressures as a key reason. Workplace demands often peak at a time in life when people face many other stress factors. If we want to extend careers, we need to focus on providing more support for coping throughout all stages of life," Michelsson says.
In most cases early retirement is not the individual's own choice, as Michelsson points out. According to the Finnish Centre for Pensions, 17,500 Finns went on disability pension last year alone.
"A serious illness can hit anyone unexpectedly and turn life upside down in an instant. It is therefore important that people prepare for any unexpected careers breaks, whether permanent or temporary," Michelsson concludes.
Media enquiries:
OP Financial Group Corporate Communications, tel. 010 252 8719, viestinta@op.fi
OP Financial Group’s online survey in September 2025 was answered by a total of 1,042 people in Finland over the age of 18. The results are weighted to be representative of the population in general. The number of respondents varies by question. The survey was conducted for OP Financial Group by Taloustutkimus. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points for the entire respondent group.