National Pension Changes Starting in 2026... Does a Five-Year Delay Increase Benefits by 36%? / A 100 Million Won Difference! Complete Comparison of Early, Normal, and Deferred Pension Claiming! | Cho Eung-gyu, Author of 'Money's Last Ultimatum'

Summary

Cho Eung-gyu, an author focused on retirement risk, explains how Koreans should compare early, normal, and deferred National Pension claiming. He details 2026 changes to contribution rates and income replacement rates, along with health-insurance dependent eligibility and post-retirement premium risks. The discussion also covers retroactive contributions, military-service credits, voluntary continued enrollment, and prepayment strategies. The video is retirement-planning content and does not present a directly tradeable security or market thesis.

• National Pension can be claimed early at 60, normally at 65, or deferred to 70.
• Early claiming cuts benefits by 30%, while five-year deferral raises them by 36%.
• Breakeven ages vary: early around 75, deferral around 80, and about 75 to 76 if income-based reduction is avoided.
• From 2026, the contribution rate rises from 9% to 9.5% and eventually to 13%; the income replacement rate becomes 43% for qualifying contribution years.
• National Pension income counts fully for health-insurance dependent eligibility but only 50% for premium calculation.
• Voluntary continued enrollment can preserve workplace premium and dependent status for up to three years.
• Retroactive contributions, military-service credit, and prepayment can improve pension cost-effectiveness.
• No specific stock, ETF, commodity, or tradable asset is discussed.