A growing number of Austrians fear they won’t be able to afford old age. A new Marketagent study for Vollpension Wien reveals deep anxiety, misinformation, and a widening gender divide in the nation’s pension landscape, according to “Heute”.
Nearly half of respondents (43%) aged 14 to 59 believe their state pension won’t be enough to live on, and 17% doubt they’ll ever receive one. Few know what retirees actually earn: while most estimate pensions at €1,500, men’s real median pension is €2,535.
“The ignorance is striking,” says Marketagent CEO Thomas Schwabl. “And the gender gap is even starker.”
Ahead of Equal Pay Day on November 2, the study underscores that inequality doesn’t end with a paycheck — it follows women into retirement. Austrian women receive an average pension of €1,527, about €1,000 less than men, leaving one in five women over 65 at risk of poverty.
Social isolation compounds the problem. Nearly half of women (47%) fear loneliness in old age, compared with 39% of men. “Loneliness is real,” says Marianne, 80, who has worked at Vollpension for a decade. “Places like this mean belonging.”
Vollpension founder Moriz Piffl-Percevic urges political courage: “We’ve shown for 13 years how to tackle structural issues practically. What’s missing is the will to make social innovation part of the system.”
The study also challenges stereotypes: while only 19% believe seniors are online, 57% actually browse the internet daily. “Our elders are active, digital, and far more connected than people think,” says Piffl-Percevic.
