Changes in pensions.Prof.Gertruda Uścińska for Money.pl: This is what the future of benefits looks like
The Ministry of Family and Social Policy wants to change the rules of operation of the Social Insurance Institution. And that's why there will be a lot of news for future and current seniors soon. The project has just been consulted, and it could start operating in the middle of the year.
Changes? In &nbssum several dozen. As pointed out in  roz with money.pl by prof. Gertruda Uścińska, president of the Social Insurance Institution, the reform of the system's functioning principles proposed by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy has several important components.
For Poles, the following are important: a new default way of paying pensions and pensions, solving the problem of "June loss pensioners" and looser rules for the smallest employers who are late with paying contributions.
The Ministry of Family and Social Policy proposes that from January 1, 2022, all new pensions and pensions be paid electronically - directly to a bank account. Today, by default, it is still a payment in hand (via a postal order), although a large proportion of seniors use banking.
See also: COVID vaccine. Spokesman of the Polish police about fraudsters offering vaccines outside the system- Our data shows that already three out of four seniors receive a ZUS benefit to a bank account. The banking ratio is constantly growing and is close to 77 percent. in the case of pensions. That's over 6.2 million beneficiaries. In the case of newly awarded pensions, this ratio is much higher, as it is over 83 percent. - translates in rozmowe with money.pl prof. Gertruda Uścińska, president of the Social Insurance Institution. Therefore, she is convinced that the change is simply necessary. As he points out, this is simply what the future of benefits looks like.
Benefit: | Number of recipients: | The level of "banking": |
|---|---|---|
Pensions | 6 million 129 thousand. | 76.2 percent. |
Disability pensions | 695K | 72.6 percent. |
Survivors' pensions | 1 million 248 thousand. | 60 percent. |
Pre-retirement benefits and allowances | 72k | 91.7 percent. |
Social pensions | 224K | 59.7 percent. |
However, this does not change the fact that a dozen or so percent of Poles still choose a postal order - i every month waiting for a postman who will deliver the benefit to the very door.
- The Social Insurance Institution, in cooperation with financial institutions, has been encouraging beneficiaries to use cashless forms of payment of benefits for many years - suggests prof. Uścińska. I emphasizes that "payment of benefits to a bank account is a safe solution".
- Reduces the risk of theft of funds as a result of scams known as "granddaughter method" or "policeman" - says.
See also:Revolution in ZUS. Non-cash pensions, changes for working pensioners and data for the ABW and CBA
Prof. Uścińska also rejects that the banking of seniors will result in transferring banking costs from ZUS to those receiving pensions. After all, you simply have to pay for a large part of banking services.
- The financial environment of Poles is also changing. For several years, banks have been obliged to offer the so-called basic payment account, i.e. simplifying the "bill for zero" for people for whom it would be the only bank account they have. Reports show that seniors are getting better and better at using payment cards and   electronic banking -  ;nbspadds.
It is worth adding that after January 1, 2022, seniors will still be able to choose the option - postal order. However, this will take place only at the request of the person concerned and after the consent of ZUS. For those who will receive their pension before that date, nothing will change. They won't have to make a choice again.
As we have already written in  money.pl, the change in seniors' habits is a financial blow for the employees of Poczta Polska - mainly postmen. Reason? No tips. Fewer cash transfers mean fewer extras usually given when delivering money transfers to your home.
Other change? Prof. Gertruda Uścińska points out that it is time for a systemic solution for seniors who decide to retire exactly in the middle of the year. Such a move was associated with financial losses.
Read also: Indexation of pensions in 2021 may be extremely low. The worse the economy is, the worse it is for seniors
For years, pensions awarded in June have been a problem. They are clearly lower than those awarded in any other month of the year - and not a little, because from several dozen to several hundred zlotys per month (depending on the amount of the benefit). The remaining 11 months ensure that the benefit will be higher. It didn't just happen once. In June 2020, because one of the anti-crisis shields temporarily changed the regulations. Temporarily, that is, only for this one year.
All thanks to the applicable regulations regarding the indexation of premiums, initial capital and sub-accounts. The annual indexation takes place in June and includes contributions paid until January.
The one who submits the application between January and May or July and December will benefit, apart from the annual indexation, also from the quarterly indexation. On the other hand, for pension applications submitted in June, quarterly indexation is not applied, but only annual.
And although for several years ZUS advisers were supposed to tell every future pensioner about it in June, still several thousand people started collecting the benefit from that month. In June 2019, it was over 10,000. people (while in May 2019 over 25,000 people applied for a pension).
See also:ZUS is preparing a revolution. You will get what you paid for for free
Some seniors complained that they did not receive warnings from ZUS. After the changes, this problem will not be - the June pensioners will not lose money. Those who apply for the benefit in June will be served according to the same rules as if they did it in May.
- ZUS has been signaling the occurrence of this phenomenon for years. As part of one of the anti-crisis shields - specifically shield 3.0 - a special solution was introduced. For people who retired in June 2020, the benefit was fixed as if it had been in May, if it was more favorable for them. Thanks to the currently processed bill, such a solution will be established permanently - says prof. Uścińska.
- Every year, the Social Insurance Institution advised clients not to retire in June, if possible, but to wait at least until July. If the project receives the approval of the parliament and the president, and it will happen before June, from this year it will no longer be necessary - he says. And one of the people who was supposed to benefit from such a warning is the president of PiS - Jarosław Kaczyński. He was born in June and acquired his retirement rights in June. And if he submitted the documents in the same month, he would receive about 10 percent of the salary for the rest of his life. benefits less.
A significant change awaits entrepreneurs as well. An entrepreneur who is late with the payment of the contribution will no longer be deprived of sickness insurance.
See also:Valuation of pensions and pensions 2021. How much will the benefits increase?
- According to the current regulations, entrepreneurs lose the right to benefits if they are even one day late with the payment of contributions. In this case, they must apply to ZUS for reinstatement of the deadline for paying the arrears after the deadline. This causes a lot of confusion and unnecessary activity both on the part of the entrepreneur and on the side of the Social Insurance Institution - explains prof. Gertrude Uscinska.
The new regulations are supposed to change that. From now on, an entrepreneur who is late will not have to contact the Social Insurance Institution regarding reinstatement of sickness insurance. He will simply have to pay back the forgotten premium. No applications, no requests to change the date, no documents.
- The draft assumes the abandonment of the rule that failure to pay contributions on time results in termination of voluntary insurance. According to the  proposal of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy, in order to exit the insurance, you will have to actively and consciously deregister. In a logical way, in which the application for insurance proceeds. The insurance will last from the date indicated in the insurance application to the date indicated in the deregistration application from  ubezpieczenia - translators.
Got a news, photo or video? Send us via dziejsie.wp.pleconomypolish economyeconomynewsSource:money.pl
