YEL income

YEL income is the monetary value of your work input in euros. It forms the basis for calculating your pension and many of your other social security benefits. You can easily estimate a suitable YEL income level using the YEL income calculator.

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What is YEL income?

YEL income is an estimate of the monetary value of the work you perform as a self-employed person over a 12-month period.

Your YEL income should correspond to the annual salary you would pay someone with similar skills and experience to do the same work. It is not the profit of your business, your taxable income or the salary you pay yourself.

In 2026, the minimum YEL income is EUR 9,423.09 and the maximum is EUR 214,000. If your YEL income falls below the minimum threshold, you are not required to take out YEL insurance.

Calculate your YEL income recommendation

Use the YEL income calculator to estimate a suitable YEL income level.

Enter a realistic estimate of your turnover or sales for the next 12 months.
Select your business sector from the menu.
You will receive an indicative YEL income recommendation for full-time self-employment, together with a 30 per cent margin above and below the recommendation.

All pension insurance companies calculate YEL income recommendations using the same method defined by the Finnish Centre for Pensions. The recommendation is based on your industry's average salary level and your business turnover.

Good to know

The YEL income calculator does not take all circumstances into account, for example if you have several businesses, employees or run your business on a part-time basis.
You can always apply for a YEL income that differs from the calculator's recommendation and provide additional information about the value of your work input.
The calculator always recommends at least the minimum YEL income and does not assess whether you are required to take out YEL insurance.

What does my YEL income affect?

Having the right level of YEL income helps secure your livelihood in different life situations. As a self-employed person, both your pension accrual and many of your social security benefits are calculated based on your YEL income.

Your YEL income affects, for example, your:

sickness allowance
parental allowance
unemployment benefits
pension

Your YEL contribution is also determined by your YEL income.

You can become a member of the Entrepreneur Fund if your YEL income is at least EUR 15,481 in 2026.

Use the YEL calculator to estimate how your YEL income affects your contributions and benefits

How is my YEL income confirmed?

When you apply for YEL insurance, you will be asked to provide your own estimate of your YEL income, that is, the value of your work input. We confirm your YEL income based on an overall assessment.

We take into account both your own estimate and the YEL income recommendation in accordance with the guidelines of the Finnish Centre for Pensions. In addition to turnover and business sector, we may consider factors such as your working hours and any seasonal variation in your business activities.

The Finnish Centre for Pensions' YEL income recommendation is primarily intended for self-employed persons whose business activities are already established. If you are starting a business and initially have fewer clients or less work, your YEL income may be lower than the recommendation.

YEL income is always confirmed for a 12-month period rather than a calendar year. For example, if your YEL insurance starts on 1 May 2026, estimate your YEL income for the period from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027.

Can I change my YEL income?

You can change your YEL income whenever there is a longer-term change in your work input. For example, you should apply for a change in your YEL income if your entrepreneurial activities expand, your turnover decreases or your working hours change.

Please note that YEL income cannot be changed retrospectively. Any change can take effect no earlier than the date on which your application is received.

You can easily apply for a change in your YEL income in Varma Online Service. The application can be found under YEL Insurance → Insurance policy information → Apply for a change in your YEL income. We may ask you for additional information if needed.

Apply for a change in your YEL income in Varma Online Service

When you apply, tell us your estimate of your YEL income and the value of your work input. We will then confirm your YEL income based on an overall assessment.

In addition to your own estimate, we consider factors such as:

your business sector
your turnover
your working hours

The aim is to ensure that your YEL income reflects the value of your work as realistically as possible.

Examples of situations where your YEL income may differ from the recommendation include:

you work as a self-employed person on a part-time or seasonal basis
you work significantly more or less than average
the nature of your work is unusual (for example, you mainly perform supporting tasks)
you have employees
the salary level of your highest-paid employee

The YEL income calculator provides a recommendation and margin to support your own assessment. However, you may apply for a higher or lower YEL income if you believe the recommendation does not reflect your situation.

In the application, explain any other factors that affect the value of your work input. If necessary, we will ask for additional information to assess your situation as a whole.

If you are starting a business, your YEL income may be lower than the recommendation if you initially have fewer customers or less work.

The calculator's recommendation is primarily intended for self-employed persons whose business activities are already established.

No. YEL income is not calculated for a calendar year. It is always defined as an annual amount, even if your YEL insurance is in force for only part of the year.

An annual amount means a 12-month period, for example from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

Although YEL income is assessed on an annual basis, YEL contributions are charged only for the period during which your insurance is in force.

Yes. You can change your YEL income at any time. Apply for a change whenever there is a longer-term change in your work input. The change can take effect no earlier than the date on which your notification reaches us.

your turnover changes
your working hours change
your business sector changes
you move from part-time to full-time self-employment, or vice versa

Your YEL income is determined based on all your self-employed activities combined, and you only need one YEL insurance policy even if you have several businesses.

The YEL income calculator is not designed for situations involving multiple businesses. In such cases, your own assessment of the value of your work input is particularly important. We are happy to help you determine the right YEL income level.

We can help you assess the right YEL income for your individual circumstances. You can use the YEL income calculator on this page as a guide and contact our customer service for assistance.

YEL income is adjusted annually using the wage coefficient

By law, YEL income is adjusted each year at the beginning of January using the wage coefficient. This helps ensure that YEL income keeps pace with general wage and price developments. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health confirms the wage coefficient annually.

YEL income is reviewed every three years

By law, pension insurance companies must review the YEL income of the self-employed regularly, at three-year intervals. The aim is to ensure that your YEL income continues to reflect the value of your work input as your business develops.

Help with using our services

Take care of your YEL matters online

In our online service, you can, for instance

apply for a change in your YEL income
view your past and future YEL contribution
request an extended term of payment for an invoice

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