Core answer: From 2025-01-01, China's statutory retirement ages DELAY gradually over 15 years: men 60 → 63 (+1 month per 4 months), female cadres 55 → 58 (+1 month per 4 months), female workers 50 → 55 (+1 month per 2 months). Born after 1985 (men) / 1990 (female workers)? You retire at the full new age. The reform also adds flexibility: up to 3 years earlier (not below the OLD ages) or 3 years later by agreement, and raises the minimum pension contribution years from 15 to 20 (phased 2030–2039).
The schedule (men, born → retirement age)
| Birth | Age | Delay |
|---|---|---|
| ≤1964-12 | 60 | none |
| 1965-01 → 1976-08 | 60 +1mo per 4mo | +1 → +35 mo |
| ≥1976-09 | 63 | full |
Female cadres: same pace 55 → 58 (full delay for born ≥1981-09). Female workers: +1mo per 2mo, 50 → 55 (full delay for born ≥1984-11).
The flexibility rules
- Early: up to −3 years, floor at old ages (60/55/50), requires minimum contribution years met.
- Late: up to +3 years by employer agreement; pension keeps accruing.
- Minimum contribution: 15 years now → +6 months/year from 2030 → 20 years by 2039.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Male, born 1970-06. Delay = 16 months (67 months from 1965-01 ÷ 4, rounded per table) → retires at 61y4m, i.e. 2031-10. Check the official lookup table (人社部 calculator) for your exact month.
Example 2 — Female worker, born 1985-01. Beyond the phase-in → retires at 55 in 2040-01.
Example 3 — The early option. Male born 1976 (full 63): with 20+ contribution years he may elect 60–63; pension formulas penalize early claims (~smaller base × fewer years), roughly −5~8%/year claimed early — the healthy-and-employed should lean late.
Example 4 — Contribution gap planning. Freelancer turning 60 in 2038 with 13 years of contributions: minimum is 19 years that year → must continue paying ~6 more years (灵活就业 contributions) before pension eligibility. Map YOUR years against the phase-in table now.
Common mistakes and myths
- "Everyone delays 3 years" — it's birth-cohort phased; a 1965-born man delays 1 month, a 1980-born delays 3 years.
- Ignoring the contribution hike — the 15→20 year change bites people with contribution gaps (career breaks, freelance years); check your累计缴费 in the social-security app today.
- Assuming early = free — early flexibility reduces monthly pension permanently; run the numbers against your health and savings.
- Confusing statutory and actual — 内退/early layoffs exist but bridge income is on you; plan the 50s decade financially, not just the retirement date.
- Forgetting 医保's own threshold — medical insurance needs ~20–25 (men) / ~20 (women) contribution years for lifetime coverage after retirement; it has its own clock separate from pension.