THE‘Italy is experiencing a social security paradox unprecedented. While in the first quarter of 2025 early pensions collapsed by 23% compared to the previous year, with only 98,356 liquidations in the first half of the year according to the data Confessorsan opposite and worrying phenomenon emerges: those who can afford it financially still choose to leave their jobs early, accepting penalties that can reach up to 30% of the pension allowance.
Escape from work: the desire for freedom surpasses profit
Exclusive data from MyPensionone of the Italian companies specializing in pension consultancy that has analyzed around 30,000 cases from 2022 to today, reveal a disconcerting reality: the 75% of customers who turn to specialized consultants choose to retire early despite significant economic losses. A phenomenon that tells of a tired Italy, where the desire for freedom surpasses economic calculation.
«It’s a sentiment which has been growing steadily since 2022″, he explains Andrea Martellifounder of MyPension. «It’s no longer just a matter of physical tiredness, but a real one cultural revolution. People want to dedicate themselves, their family, their grandchildren. Work is no longer the center of life.”
Stringent requirements and alternative solutions
Current legislation requires 42 years and 10 months of contributions for early retirement, regardless of age, as reported by Italy. A requirement that pushes many workers to look for alternative solutions, from redemption of the degree which can cost up to 70,000 euros, to the reunification of contributions paid in different managements, up to company agreements for early exit.
The collapse of requests for early retirement by 17.3% in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous period, certified byINPStherefore hides a more complex reality. It’s not that Italians no longer want to retire early, many simply can no longer afford it. The changes introduced by Budget Law have made the requirements more stringent, as highlighted by Morningstarcreating a social divide between those who can afford to give up part of their pension and those who are forced to stay at work.
Borderline cases: giving up 1,500 euros a month for free time
«We have customers who also give up 1,500 euros gross per month just to get out sooner,” he reveals Hammers. «The most sensational case? A manager who accepted a reduction from 5,100 to 2,900 euros per month. When we asked him why, he replied: I prefer to have less money but more time to live.”
The complexity of the Italian social security system aggravates the situation. Many workers are unaware of all available options and risk missing out on important opportunities. An emblematic example concerns the redemption of the degree: depending on the social security management in which it is carried out, the cost can vary from 23,000 to 130,000 euros for the same benefit in terms of years recovered.
The future of the Italian pension system
The phenomenon of early exit from work raises profound questions about the future of the Italian pension system. With an increasingly older population and young people struggling to enter the job market, the system risks collapse. Projections indicate that by 2040 there will be one pensioner for every 1.5 active workersan unsustainable relationship for social security funds.
The trend highlighted by MiaPensione data suggests that the problem is not only economic but cultural. Work has lost centrality in the lives of Italians over 60, who prefer to sacrifice part of their income to gain years of freedom. A paradigm shift that institutions will necessarily have to consider in future social security reforms.
«60% of our customers have an average age of 60 and just want to understand how to get out as soon as possible», he concludes Hammers. «It is no longer a question of how much they will receive in pension, but of when they will finally be able to dedicate themselves to what really matters to them: their family, their loved ones, themselves. It’s one silent revolution which is changing the face of working Italy.”
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