Agência Brasil explains: What’s new in retirement this year

Those approaching their year of retirement in Brazil must be on their toes. The last reform in the country’s social security system established automatic transition rules which change the conditions for pensions every year.

The scores for retirement by length of contribution and by age have been altered. Here is a list of the new rules in effect as of this year.

Retirement by age

The transition rule brings in an additional six months every year for women, all the way until 2023, when it reaches 62. After the approval of the social security revamp in November 2019, the minimum age was 60, going to 60.5 in January 2020. In January 2021, women’s minimum age for retirement rose to 61. In 2022, the age stands at 61.5.

For men, the minimum age was fixed at 65 in 2019. For both sexes, the minimum contribution time required is 15 years.

Retirement by length of contribution

The reform in Brazil’s social security system introduced four transition rules—two of which bringing new rules in effect in 2022. Under the first norm, which lays forth a scheduled progression for the 86–96 rule, the score adding up age and the amount of years of contribution increased in January to 89 points for women, 99 for men.

Under the second norm, which concerns the lowest age for those with a long time of contribution, the minimum age to file for retirement went to 57.5 for women and 62.5 for men. The social security overhaul adds six month to the minimum age every year until 62 years for women and 65 for men in 2031. In both cases, the minimum contribution time is 30 years for women, 35 for men.

Death pensions

After changing in 2021, the duration of this benefit is to remain unaltered in 2022. According to Law 13,135, dated 2015, a year is added every three years to the age groups listed by a federal decree enacted in 2015. As the last change was effective in 2021, the minimum age of pension-holders is not to face another increase until 2024.

As it stands today, pension-holders aged 22 and younger will receive the benefit for up to three years. The length goes up to six years for those aged 22 through 27, ten for 28–30-year-olds, 15 for those aged 31 through 31, and 20 for those with 42 to 44 years of age. The benefit is only life-long after the age of 45.

The measure is effective for new pension-holders only. Old beneficiaries are to have their pensions unchanged as a vested right.