Thousands of pensioners may receive underpaid benefits if they have not provided full documentation from periods of work before 1999. ZUS recalls that even after years it is possible to recalculate the pension – 1 paper is enough.
Retirement may be understated – and legally
Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) stated that many people who worked before 1999 could collect lower pensions than they deserved. Reason? No complete documentation confirming the alleged contribution periods, i.e. the time for which social safety contributions were paid. This applies in peculiar to labour certificates from the 1980s and 1990s, which were not always transferred to the Social safety Office at the time of the pension application.
Although the benefit has already been granted, Pension Act provides for the anticipation of recalculation payments – besides after many years. It is crucial to supply missing documents.
What papers can increase retirement?
ZUS accepts various forms of confirmation of employment and payment of contributions. The most commonly utilized are:
- work certificates from missing periods,
- employment contracts,
- insurance card with employment alerts,
- ID entries (older type),
- witness statementsif there is no another evidence,
- certificates from labour offices,
- Military books,
- university indexes (for non-contributory studies),
- social assistance documents,
- copy of birth certificates of children (e.g. in case of a break due to childcare).
A peculiar form is available for entrepreneurs ZUS ECPwhich may besides give emergence to a correction of the pension.
What if the papers are missing?
The absence of a work certificate or another paper shall not invalidate the anticipation of recalculation of the benefit. ZUS indicates respective possibilities:
- Contact with erstwhile employer – if the company inactive exists,
- Querying in the State Archives – where old staff papers may be kept,
- Applications to provincial offices or ministries – keeping records of liquidated establishments.
In certain situations, ZUS besides allows the alleged intermediate evidence – i.e. materials that are not a work certificate but confirm the fact of employment during a circumstantial period.
How do I apply for a pension conversion?
The application can be made in 2 ways:
- Personally – in any ZUS facility.
- Online – via the ZUS Electronic Services Platform (PUE ZUS).
The application shall be accompanied by fresh papers proving employment or another circumstances affecting the amount of the pension.
After examining the documents, ZUS will issue a fresh decision. If additional premium periods are confirmed, the benefit will be increased – besides retroactively, with compensation.
How do you know how much to gain?
ZUS offers 2 free tools that aid in the indicative estimation of future or current benefits:
- Information on the State of the Insurance Account (IOSCU) – available at the PUE ZUS,
- online pension calculator – allows to simulate the amount of pension after adding additional years of work or contributions.
According to specialists, even 1 missing year in the contribution strategy can mean a difference of respective 100 PLN per period – which gives respective 1000 PLN per year.
Why is it so important?
Dr. Michał Mroczek, expert on social policy and pension systems, emphasises:
"Many people do not realize that their benefits are calculated on the basis of incomplete data. The ZUS strategy is based on documentation provided by the insured individual – not always complete. This causes thousands of people to receive under-retirement pensions of up to a twelve percent.”
For seniors who face rising costs of living, any anticipation of expanding monthly income is highly valuable. Therefore, it is worth taking time to complete the missing papers – even if many years have passed since retirement.
More here:
ZUS may pay under-retirement. 1 paper is adequate to change that
