Half of the population does not know how pensions are financed, according to a Funcas study.

MadridHow to collect your pension once you've retired is one of the most sensitive debates among the public, but at the same time it's a subject about which there is a wide lack of knowledge, or at least that's what a survey recently published by the research and analysis center Funcas reveals. Specifically, 51% of citizens between 18 and 75 years of age in the State do not have a clear understanding of the sources of pension funding, that is, how they are paid, nor of the average benefit that pensioners receive in the State, as can be seen from the survey.2025 Survey on Pensions and Financial Education Prepared by Funcas with more than a thousand respondents.

"Society can hardly participate in a debate about pensions if the level of knowledge on the subject does not increase," reflected Elisa Chuliá, a Funcas researcher, during the presentation of the survey results this Thursday. For the researcher, the conclusions of this investigation are worrying considering that one of the challenges facing states is the aging of the population, the consolidation of welfare systems, and how to make this spending compatible with other new priorities, such as spending on defense or security.

"The debate on the future of pensions is especially relevant and demands the active participation of citizens with a legitimate interest in the matter," Chuliá claimed. The researcher also noted that, after analyzing the responses, "no generational conflict over pensions is detected," that is, between young and old.

Rejection of postponing the retirement age

Aside from knowledge about pension system financing, one of the major concerns emerging from the respondents' responses is at what age they will be able to retire. Generally speaking, the majority of participants reject extending the legal retirement age beyond the current 67 years (87%). "It is even more striking that the percentage of rejection of postponing the retirement age reaches very high levels among young people as well, with a maximum of 96 percent among women aged 18 to 30," Chuliá noted.

Finally, regarding the benefits received, 67% of those surveyed expressed concern about whether their retirement benefits will be "sufficient." 31% expressed "great concern" and 36% "very concerned." This concern increases with age, and, for example, among those over 45, 36% are "very concerned." In the case of women, the rate is even higher. Among those with a longer working life ahead of them, those surveyed under 45, concern is lower.