Romanians look beyond the state pension and seek solutions that offer them greater security, financial independence, and predictability, the study shows Romania's Pension System. Perceptions of the Urban Population, conducted in August 2026 by Quantix for Banca Transylvania6 out of 10 respondents are concerned about the income they will have in retirement, and over half say they are not financially prepared for this moment. At the same time, 75% of them believe that the state pension will not provide a decent standard of living.
Romanians Are Starting to View Retirement Differently
The study shows that Romanians are at a turning point in how they view retirement. Whereas it was once associated with withdrawal from work, today more and more people see it as an active stage of life. It identified two gaps:
- between concern for the financial future and the current level of financial preparedness for it;
- between the aspirations for an active lifestyle in retirement and the financial resources needed to support it.
The gap between these aspirations and the level of financial literacy explains the growing concern for saving and long-term planning.
Romanians are more concernedpensioners only if they are or feel ready for it
- 60% of respondents are concerned about the income they will have after retirement.
- 54% say they are not financially prepared for that moment.
People want to learn more about pensions, but few consider themselves well informed
- Almost half of Romanians say they are interested in information about pensions. 47% have discussed this topic in the past year, and 32% have read about pensions.
- 41% consider themselves well informed about Pillar 2. The percentage drops by half (20%) for Pillar 3.
The financial future is increasingly seen as a personal responsibility
The research results show the income sources Romanians want to consider for their retirement period:
- 55% - mandatory private pension (Pillar 2);
- 25% - income from services they will provide;
- 22% - optional private pension (Pillar 3);
- 20% - bank deposits.
In retirement, people dream of living, not just surviving
When asked how they envision their post-retirement years, respondents associated this stage with activities such as traveling in Romania and abroad, spending time with family and friends, or cooking. The answers show that people want, besides financial security in retirement, to stay active and engaged in the things that matter to them.
Banca Transilvania Group and Private Pensions
Banca Transilvania Group is involved in every aspect of Romanians' relationship with private pensions: from managing savings for the future through BT Pensions (Pillar 3) and BT Pensia Noastră (Pillar 2), access to information via the BT Pay app, and support for financial education through initiatives such as FIT (Finance Made Simple), Your pension, explained in simple terms and through the educational content on BT Blog.
Through its specialized companies, the BT Group manages savings of nearly 13 billion lei and contributes to the pension savings of over 900,000 participants.
The Quantix study is based on qualitative and quantitative research – in-depth interviews and a survey conducted among the urban population of Romania aged 25 to 64.
