Is the lijfrente always better than saving?

For your pension goal specifically, usually yes, because the deduction saves your marginal rate now. For money you need before retirement, the lijfrente is not an option — that money is locked up, and box-3 saving remains the right choice.

Do I still pay tax on my lijfrente payout at retirement?

Yes, the payout is taxed as income in box 1. The advantage lies in the deferral and usually a lower rate at pension age, not in a full exemption.

What if I go above the €59,357 allowance in box 3?

Then you pay 36% each year on the deemed return (1.28% for savings-type assets, 6.00% for other assets) on the amount above the allowance — a recurring cost that does not apply to a lijfrente within your jaarruimte.

Yes, most ZZP freelancers use the lijfrente jaarruimte for their pension goal and also build up a separate buffer in box 3 for shorter-term goals and unexpected costs.

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Pension building6 min read

Comparing pension options for ZZP freelancers: lijfrente deduction or just saving?

Published 20 July 2026

As a ZZP freelancer, no employer builds a pension for you — you have to arrange it yourself. The two obvious options are the lijfrente with jaarruimte, deductible in box 1, or simply saving or investing in box 3 with money you have already paid tax on. They look similar, but they are not similar for tax purposes. This is general information, not tax advice — confirm with your accountant or boekhouder.

Option 1: lijfrente with jaarruimte

The jaarruimte is the amount you may contribute to a lijfrente each year and deduct in box 1: 30% of your premiegrondslag (income minus the €19,172 AOW-franchise), with income capped at €137,800 — giving a maximum jaarruimte of €35,589. A ZZP freelancer with no employer pension usually has the full room available.

Option 2: saving or investing in box 3

The alternative is simple: set aside money you have already reported as profit and already paid tax on. That wealth falls into box 3, where above an allowance of €59,357 a deemed return is assumed — 1.28% for savings-type assets, 6.00% for other assets — and that deemed return is taxed at 36%.

The difference is in the starting point

The key difference is not the return you make afterward, but what you start with. Say you have €10,000 of profit available and your marginal rate is 37.56%. Put that amount into a lijfrente within your jaarruimte, and the full €10,000 goes into your pension pot, while you also save €3,756 in tax elsewhere on your return — effectively, your pension pot is funded at a 37.56% discount. Take that same €10,000 as ordinary taxed profit first and then save what remains, and you only have €10,000 − €3,756 = €6,244 left to set aside — and that amount then gets nibbled away every year in box 3 by the deemed-return tax once you are above the €59,357 allowance.

Lijfrente: the full €10,000 goes into your pension pot, marginal tax saved now (e.g. €3,756 at 37.56%)
Box 3 saving: only the after-tax amount (e.g. €6,244) goes into your savings
Box 3 then taxes the deemed return above €59,357 every year, at 36%
The lijfrente payout is later taxed as income in box 1 — this is deferral, not exemption

When saving still makes sense

Saving in box 3 remains useful for money you need in the shorter term — a lijfrente is locked up until pension age, while savings in box 3 stay freely accessible. The lijfrente is the tool for your pension goal specifically; box 3 remains the place for your buffer and flexible goals.

Frequently asked

Is the lijfrente always better than saving?: For your pension goal specifically, usually yes, because the deduction saves your marginal rate now. For money you need before retirement, the lijfrente is not an option — that money is locked up, and box-3 saving remains the right choice.
Do I still pay tax on my lijfrente payout at retirement?: Yes, the payout is taxed as income in box 1. The advantage lies in the deferral and usually a lower rate at pension age, not in a full exemption.
What if I go above the €59,357 allowance in box 3?: Then you pay 36% each year on the deemed return (1.28% for savings-type assets, 6.00% for other assets) on the amount above the allowance — a recurring cost that does not apply to a lijfrente within your jaarruimte.
Can I combine both?: Yes, most ZZP freelancers use the lijfrente jaarruimte for their pension goal and also build up a separate buffer in box 3 for shorter-term goals and unexpected costs.

This article is general information for a one-person company (BV), not tax advice. Rules and figures change — confirm your situation with your accountant before acting.