By at least 5 percent pensions calculated from the beginning of April this year are higher. The reason is the new life expectancy tables in force.
The pensions higher than in April are good and bad news in this case. Okay, because the pensioner has more money, whether he works longer or not.
As ZUS calculated, for a 60-year-old person, the benefit increases by 5.6%, and for a 65-year-old – 6.5%. This applies to those who apply for a pension from April 1 this year: both people who are now reaching retirement age, as well as those who achieved the right to retirement earlier but did not take advantage of it.
It has to do with life expectancy tables. The Central Statistical Office announces them in March each year. They are valid from April 1 to March 31 of the following year. They are common to both men and women. The tables show the average number of months people between the ages of 30 and 90 have to live.
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The recently announced boards are developed taking into account last year’s data, and as we know because of the pandemic (but not only because tens of thousands of additional deaths were caused by difficulties or lack of access to medical care), the number of deaths increased dramatically. This had an impact on the life expectancy prognosis. And that’s the bad news. For a 60-year-old person, a life forecast – compared to the tables in force in the previous year – shortened from 261.5 to 247.7 months, i.e. by almost 14 months. For 65-year-olds, the forecast is that life will be slightly more than 13 months shorter.
It must be remembered that these are average statistical data, which, however, show certain trends. Compared to the tables from previous years, last year’s decline is dramatic. Earlier, we sounded the alarm if life was shortened by 3-4 months, because the rule was the tendency to extend life. Now over 13 months are gone! There is also no good prospect for the future. For the first 4 months of this year. there were 194.2 thous. deaths (according to USC registers). This reason for the increase in retirement age is not a joy.
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ZUS chooses more favorable life tables …
From those present life tablesAs mentioned above, people who reach the retirement age from April 1 this year will benefit. and retire, and those who have reached the retirement age before April 1, 2021, but have not submitted their application so far, plan to do so by March 31, 2022. Until then, the current tables apply. When calculating the old-age pension, ZUS checks which life expectancy tables are more favorable: those applicable at the end of the retirement age or valid on the day of submitting the application.
On the same principle with those present life expectancy tables may be used by people who reach the retirement age between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022, and plan to apply for their pension later. If on the day of submitting the application other, less favorable life expectancy tables will apply – ZUS will choose the more favorable ones.
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