The government's thought of tracking retirement accounts and taking benefits from savings people has caused panic among seniors. Since January 2025 ZUS has the right analyse the state of bank accounts and deposits all supplement downloaders, e.g. 300+ for pensioners or housing allowance. If your savings exceed PLN 10 thousandYou'll lose your right to support. Is this the fight against poorness or systemic surveillance? We uncover shocking details.
New Rules: 2.3 million Retirements under Lupa ZUS
According to CSO data in 2024 4.7 million Poles Retires below PLN 3000 gross, a 2.3 million they usage social benefits. Amendment of the Social Assistance Act (Journal of Laws 2024 item 789) introduces automatic financial monitoring by ZUS. The strategy will check:
- average account balance over the last 6 months,
- value of investments and bonds,
- submitted donations over PLN 5 thousand.
The “safe” savings threshold is PLN 10 thousand for single and PLN 15,000 for marriage. Any gold above that amount shall mean the failure of allowances. The government says it is simply a fight against “unfair usage of the systemBut the pensioners are already protesting.
“It’s a hidden taxation for the poor!”
Prof. Katarzyna Nowak, economist at the Warsaw School of Economics, there is no doubt: – This penalty for saving. In Poland only 18% of pensioners has any savings, and the average value of their “financial cushion” is only PLN 7.2 thousand (NBP data, 2023). fresh regulations will hit people who have been saving for drugs or fees for years.
An example? Retirement from Kielce, who had been collecting for 10 years PLN 12 thousand to replace windows, will lose energy supplement 400 PLN per month. – ZUS makes me choose: repair or heating – he says.
Who's gonna lose the most? 3 groups trapped
- Pensions with tiny deposits - Now. PLN 500 above the threshold means the failure of benefits.
- Family Supporters – donation to PLN 6 thousand The grandchild will be considered an “additional income”.
- Housing owners – even if the rent is the only livelihood.
According to the simulation of the Institute of elder Economy, 340 000 pensioners may lose an average PLN 6200 per year. It's equivalent. 4 months of pension for the individual with the lowest benefit (PLN 1,200).
The black cash marketplace is already growing. “They will pay everything and hide it in the sock”
The law does not supply for penalties for concealing savings, so 67% of respondents declares that he will retreat money from banks (CBOS survey, June 2024). “This is absurd,” comments Marek Kowalski, financial advisor. – alternatively of fighting the grey zone, the government encourages evasion.
The magnitude of the phenomenon? According to the NBP, Poles keep in cash PLN 280 billionand the fresh rules may increase this amount by more PLN 30-40 billion.
Not only Poland: How do another countries control pensioners?
W Germany social contributions (e.g. Grundsicherung) besides depend on the assets, but the threshold is 5 times higher (€50,000 for singles). The Czech Republic does not include savings below 250,000 kronor (approx. PLN 45 thousand). Polish government is 1 of the strongest in the EU.
– It's not helping, it's helping. surveillance – says Dr. Piotr Wiśniewski, a lawyer specialising in social law. – ZUS will become an investigative institution and pensioners will become second-class citizens.
Hidden target? Budget savings for PLN 1.2 billion per year
The Government declares that the "reform" is carrying out "protect the weakestIt’s okay. ” Meanwhile, according to the calculation of the MF, the cuts in the allowances will bring the budget PLN 1.2 billion per year. Where's the money going? The bill does not mention the redistribution of funds for social assistance.
- That's it. shifting the cost of the crisis to elder citizens – says Prof. Nowak. – In 2024 the ZUS deficit will be 47 billion PLNAnd the government, alternatively of reforming the pension system, steals from the poorest.
What can you do? 4 defence strategies against ZUS
- Break Savings – establish accounts in various banks (each little than PLN 10,000).
- Invest in gold or cryptocurrency – these assets are not yet monitored.
- Transfer the funds to your family – donations to PLN 5 1000 per year are not reported.
- Fight – by 30 September 2024 a public consultation of the task is underway.
Will ZUS turn pensioners into beggars?
The fresh rules hit the basic rule of the social state: help is to scope the needy, not punish the resourceful. If the government truly wants to fight poverty, why not prosecute PLN 47 billion of yearly VAT losses either PLN 15 billion hidden in taxation havens?
One thing is certain – if the law enters into force, Poland will become a country where Better to be passive and mediocre than industrious and frugal. And this is death to the ethos of entrepreneurship, which we so willingly praise.
Continued here:
“ZUS will review your account! Savings above PLN 10 thousand? You'll lose allowances”
