Social Security Expert Warns: You Can Get a Higher Pension by Paying Less for Military Service Deferment

Social security expert Nergis Şimşek has outlined how paying for military service can significantly impact retirement eligibility and benefits in Turkey. For an individual whose insurance began on March 1, 2000, and who served 240 days in the military between 1998 and 1999, Şimşek explained the strategic advantage of military service deferment.

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By paying for military service, individuals can shift their insurance start date earlier, potentially qualifying for early retirement benefits like EYT.

By paying for this service, the insurance start date can be moved back. This is particularly crucial for meeting the requirements of the EYT (Emeklilikte Yaşa Takılanlar - Those Who Are Stuck Waiting for Retirement) regulation. Şimşek noted that for those whose insurance started before September 8, 1999, deferring 180 days of military service would push their start date to September 1, 1999, thus qualifying them for EYT.

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With 180 days of military service deferment, the insurance start date would become September 1, 1999, thus qualifying them for EYT.

This would mean meeting the retirement conditions of 25 years of insurance and 5,975 premium days. Currently, the individual has 4,656 premium days. After deferring 180 days, this would increase to 4,836 days, leaving a shortfall of 1,139 days. Şimşek suggested that individuals without employment opportunities can complete these missing days through voluntary insurance.

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Individuals without employment opportunities can complete these missing days through voluntary insurance.

However, she cautioned that to maintain the 4/a retirement status, the duration of voluntary insurance should be less than 1,260 days. Regarding the cost, Şimşek advised that the deferment amount can be set between the minimum and maximum earnings. Choosing to calculate based on the lower rates of earlier years can lead to paying less while receiving a higher monthly pension. The expert also highlighted that deferment rates are increasing, with the rate rising from 32% to 45% as of January 1, 2026, and the maximum daily earnings multiplier increasing from 7.5 to 9 times the minimum daily earnings.

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Choosing to calculate based on the lower rates of earlier years can lead to paying less while receiving a higher monthly pension.