Pension mystery

[Kanto]

Check your paystubs from that period. Do they show a deduction for nenkin?

[adamu]

It's pretty difficult to tell what's going on from your question. It's not clear what "work" means.

Probably the best thing to do would be to make an appointment at the pension office and talk it through with them.

[RetireJapan]

Understood.
Work means pension estimated from the contributions when I was working.

Evdn setting this aside the mystery remains on the national pension side...

If you do go and talk to the pension people, make sure you either go to the pension office or call the national phoneline. Do not talk to the nenkin desk at the ward office/city hall

[Kanto]

Since I come back to Japan I have not worked so only contributions are voluntary.

It is as if before the estimate was based on what had been paid so far and now assuming I will keep paying contribution till I am 59 hence the jump in number and stability despite paying premiums.

If you were making voluntary contributions to nenkin then you should have a yearly receipt. It comes on one of those sealed postcards I believe.

If you have not been paying into the system, the number will not change.

[Kanto]

Correct my numbers are based on the yearly post card that I just received (birthday month).

For 158 month the amount should be around

789 000 * 158 / 480 = 260 000

Let’s see. I am sure if real number is lower then that’s what I will get!!

I am not sure about your math.

Were you contributing the same amount when you were unemployed? Did you apply for an exemption or a partial exception?

[Jansen]

It is as if before the estimate was based on what had been paid so far and now assuming I will keep paying contribution till I am 59 hence the jump in number and stability despite paying premiums.

This is likely the issue. Estimates on the nenkin website are based on the assumption that you will continue your current contributions linearly. So as you pay less kousei and more national, the estimated payout changes.