Source: http://nssi.bg/en/faqs/faqs-3
Timestamp: 2019-10-21 17:34:22
Document Index: 327434033

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 11', 'Art. 16', 'Art. 391', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 11', 'Art. 16', 'Art. 391', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 696', 'Art. 328', 'Art. 69', 'art. 69', '§ 1', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 70', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 168', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 70', 'Art. 70', 'Art. 70', 'Art. 70', 'Art. 4', 'Art. 124', 'Art. 69', 'Art. 4', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 4', 'Art. 70', 'Art. 104', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 70', 'art. 70', 'Art. 70', 'art. 70', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 84', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 84', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 70', 'Art. 75', 'Art. 104', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 68', 'Art. 100', '§7', '§7', 'Art. 79', '§7', '§7', '§7']

Retriment and Pensions
Home FAQs Retriment and Pensions
What are the conditions for entitlement to a retirement-age pension?
In order to acquire a retirement-age pension, the persons must have a minimum retirement age and a certain insured length of service.
The conditions for acquiring a right to retirement-age pensionto for both the past and the present and the following years are shown in Table 1. After 31 December 2037, the age is linked to the increase in the average life expectancy.
Table № 1: Conditions for acquiring the right to a retirement-age pension under Art. 68, para. 1-2 from the Social Insurance Code for the period 2018-2037 (people with completely insured length of service)
The right to a pension is not waived by prescription. This means that persons who, in 2018 and in the previous years, have fulfilled the conditions for entitlement to a retirement pension, will be able to retire either in 2019 or in the following years, regardless of whether there are changes in the conditions for retirement.
If persons are not entitled to a pension under the above conditions, they are entitled to a retirement pension at the age of 66 and 4 months for both sexes and a minimum of 15 years of actual length of service. (Table № 2)
In assessing the right to a pension under Art. 68, para. 1-2 of the Social Insurance Code, related to the application of an international treaty to which Bulgaria is a party, or of the European regulations on coordination of social security systems when only with the considered by the Bulgarian legislation insured length of service, the person does not acquire a right to pension but has at least 15 years of actual length of service and until the certification of the foreign insured service has reached the age under Art. 68, para. 3, a pension equal to the social old-age pension is granted, provided that the person does not receive another type of pension. (Article 68 (4) of the Social Insurance Code).
Table № 2: Conditions for acquiring the right to a retirement-age pension under Art. 68, para. 1-2 from the Social Insurance Code for the period 2018-2023 г. (persons with incomplete insured length of service)
Persons who have the required insurance period under Art. 68, para. 2 of the Social Insurance Code, may wish to retire within one year earlier than their age under Art. 68, para. 1. The pension shall be granted from the date of the application and shall be paid for life as the amount shall be reduced by 0.4 per cent for each shortage month up to the age of the person under Art. 68, para. 1. Persons who have been granted a retirement-age pension at a reduced-rate, shall not be entitled to a pension under Art. 68, para. 1, 2 and 3 of the Social Insurance Code. (Article 68a of the SIC).
For whom and under what conditions is retirement possible earlier?
The servicemen shall be entitled to a pension in 2019 at the age of 53 years and 4 months and 27 years of general insurance, of which two thirds or 18 years actually served as soldiers under the Law on Defense and Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria and/or as reservists of an active service under the Reserve Act of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. (Article 69 (1) of the Social Insurance Law)
Table № 3 : Conditions for acquiring the right to a pension for retirement age and age under Art. 69, para. 1, 2, 3,5, 5a and 6 of the Social Insurance Code for the period 2018-2029 (police, military, etc.)
State officials under the Law of the Ministry of Interior, the Special Intelligence Means Act and the Implementation of Penal Sanctions and Detention in Custody Act , the state officials under Art. 11 of the Postal Services Act, the state officials under Art. 16, para. 2 of the Anti-corruption and Forfeiture of Illegally Acquired Assets Act, the state officials, performing the activity of guarding the Judiciary under Art. 391 of the Judiciary System Act, acquire the right to a pension at the age of 53 years and 4 months and upon 27 years of total insured length of service out of which two thirds or 18 years actually served as civil servants under the aforementioned laws, under the State Agency for National Security Act and as servicemen under the Law of Defense and Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. (Article 69 (2) of the Social Insurance Code).
Table № 4: Conditions for acquiring the right to a pension for retirement age and age under Art. 69,para. 4 and 7 of the Social Insurance Code for the period 2018-2029 (divers, parachutists, pilots, etc., with acquired experience in certain departments and by certain laws)
State officials under the State Agency for National Security Act acquire the right to a pension at the age of 53 years and 4 months and at 27 years of total insured length of service out of which two thirds or 18 years actually served under the State Agency for National Security Act, at military service or the laws under Art. 69, para. 2 of Social Insurance Code. (Article 69 (3) of the Social Insurance Code).
Persons who have served 15 years at positions of flight crew, the position of “parachutist”, submarine crew members and divers, in some of the departments referred to in par. 1, 2 and 3 laws, acquire the right to a pension at the age of 43 years and 4 months. (Article 69 (4) of the Social Insurance Code).
State officials from the State Agency for Intelligence acquire the right to a pension at the age of 53 years and 4 months and upon 27 years of total length of service, of which two thirds or 18 years actually served under the State Intelligence Agency, Military Service or under the laws under Art. 69, para. 1, 2 and 3 of the Social Insurance Code. (Article 69 (5) of the SIC).
The officers and sergeants of the National Service for Protection shall be entitled to a pension at the age of 53 years and 4 months and upon 27 years of total length of service, out of which two thirds or 18 years actually served under the Law on the National Service for Protection, Military Service or under the laws under Art. 69, para. 1, 2 and 3 of Social Insurance Code. (Article 69 (5a) of the SIC).
The officials at the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Protection of Population of the Ministry of Interior, performing some of the activities related to emergency restoration, flood protection activities and search and rescue operations and chemical, biological and radiation protection under the Ministry of the Interior Act, acquire the right to a pension at the age of 53 years and 4 months and upon 27 years of general insured length of service, of which two thirds or 18 years actually served in the civil protection system. (Article 69 (6) of the SIC).
State officials at the position “diver” at the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Protection of the Ministry of Interior, if they have served for 15 years in this position, are entitled to a pension at the age of 43 and 4 months. (Article 69 (7) of the SIC).
For the acquisition of the right to a pension (under Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5, 5a and 6 of Article 69 of the Social Insurance Code), the insurance length of service of:
the servicemen under the Defense and Armed Forces Act of the Republic of Bulgaria and the reservists of active duty under the Reserve Force of the Armed Forces Act of the Republic of Bulgaria;
state officials under the Ministry of the Interior Act, the Special Intelligence Means Act and the Implementation of Penal Sanctions and Detention in Custody Act, the civil servants under Art. 11 of the Postal Services Act, the state officials under Art. 16, para. 2 of the Anti-corruption and Forfeiture of Illegally Acquired Assets Act, the state officials, performing the activity of guarding the Judiciary under Art. 391 of the Judiciary System Act;
state officials from State Agency for National Security;
state officials from the State Intelligence Agency;
officers and sergeants from the National Service for Protection;
state officials at the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Protection of Population of the Ministry of Interior, performing some of the activities related to emergency restoration, flood protection activities and search and rescue operations and chemical, biological and radiation protection under the Ministry of the Interior Act.
The insured length of service of the above-mentioned persons for an early retirement right may be also supplemented by experience in positions of flight crew, parachutist, submarine crew and diving crews, in some of the departments of the abovementioned laws, as well as the position of "diver" at the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Protection of Population of the Ministry of Interior.
The right to a pension under the conditions of Art. 69, para. 1-9 of CSR have also the persons who have performed military or state service under the laws under par. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 5a, the persons who were in the positions under para. 4 and 7, and the employees who have performed the activities under para. 6.
Persons who have 25 years of service as ballerina, ballet dancer or dancer in cultural organizations acquire the right to a pension at the age of 43 and 4 months as shown in Table 5. (Article 69a of the SIC).
Table № 5: Conditions for acquiring the right to a pension for retirement age and age under Art. 69a of the SIC for the period 2018-2029 (ballerinas, ballet dancers and dancers in cultural organizations)
Right to early retirement from the State Social Security Pensions Fund for first and second category labor shall be acquired by the persons, subject to the conditions laid down in Table 6. (Article 69b (1) and (2) of the SIC).
Table № 6: Conditions for acquiring the right to a pension for retirement age under Art. 69b of the SIC for the period 2018-2037 (persons with acquired insured length of service under the conditions of 1st and 2nd labor category)
For assessment of the right to a pension under the conditions of first category of labor, the insuranced length of service of second labor category does not supplement the insuranced length of service of the first labor category.
For assessment of the right to a pension under the conditions of second category of labor, the insuranced length of service of first labor category supplements the insuranced length of service of the first labor category without transformation.
Persons who have acquired 10 years insured length of service, such as workers, engineers and technical staff and lead staff to a head of department including occupied in underground mines, underground geological and hydro-technical sites, tunnel and underground mining, may retire before the age under Art. 68, para. (1) of SIC, provided that they have a set of age and length of service 90 and have reached the age of 52 and 8 months for men and 47 years and 8 months for women. The conditions for entitlement to this type of pension, both for the present and for the following years, are as shown in Table 7. (Article 69b (3) of the SIC).
Table № 7: Conditions for acquiring the right to a pension for retirement age and age under Art. 696, para. 3 of the SIC for the period 2018-2033 (persons with acquired insured length of service in the context of underground work)
Note: After 2033, the required age for men ceases to grow, and for women it continues to increase by two months from the first day of each subsequent calendar year until reaching the age of 55 in 2063.
If the employment contract of the same persons is terminated on the grounds of Art. 328, para. 1 (1) and 2 of the Labor Code (closure of the enterprise or part thereof or reduction of the state), in 2019 may retire not earlier than the age of 45 and 8 months and if they have a total of insurance years and age 90 and 10 years of insurance period, under the above conditions. The age for entitlement to a retirement pension shall be increased from the first day of each subsequent calendar year by 2 months until the age of 50 is reached for men and women in 2045, without changing the requirements for the sum of the insured length of service and age and for acquired insurance experience (Article 69b (4) of the SIC).
Pension under Art. 69b, para. 1-4 is granted when the persons have not acquired the right to an early retirement pension from a professional pension fund or have changed their insurance from a professional pension fund to the Pensions Fund of the State Social Security. (Article 69b (5) of the CSR).
Table № 8: Conditions for old age and insurance record pension under art. 69c § 1 of SIC* for the period 2018-2037 (teachers)
Teachers acquire the right to a retirement pension in 2019 at the age of 58 years and 4 months by women and 61 years and 2 months by men and teacher insured length of service of 25 years and 8 months for women and 30 years and 8 months for men. The conditions for entitlement to this type of pension are set out in Table 8. (Article 69c (1) of the SIC).
Teachers retired under the terms of Art. 69c, para. 1 of the SIC shall be paid a term pension for early retirement from the Teachers' Pension Fund to the amount determined by the order of Art. 70 and reduced by 0.1 per cent for each month, deficient to the person until his age under Art. 68, para. 1. (Article 69c (2) of the SIC)
Teachers who have acquired the right to a pension under the conditions of Art. 69c, para. 1 and retire under the conditions of Art. 68, para. 1 and 2, a retirement-age pension shall be paid from the Pensions Fund and a supplement from the Teachers' Pension Fund in the amount of 0.33 per cent of the pension for each month for which there is a social security contribution to the Fund after the right to a pension under Art. . 69c, para. 1. Upon submission of data for additional teacher’s insured length of service after the granting of a pension under Art. 68, para. 1 and 2, to which a supplement from the Teacher Pension Fund is paid, the number of months from which the supplement is determined shall be increased by the number of months after retirement for which there are social security contributions to the same fund (Article 69c (3) of the Social Insurance Code).
Teachers who have the required by Art. 69c, para. 1 teacher’s insured length of service and retire after reaching the age under Art. 68, para. 1, shall be paid a full pension from the Teachers' Pension Fund until reaching the age under Art. 68, para. 3. After reaching the age under Art. 68, para. 3 the pension shall be paid at the expense of the Pensions Fund (Article 69c (4) of the Social Insurance Code).
Judges, prosecutors and investigators who, at 31 December 2018, have 35 years of legal service, of which two thirds of service in the judiciary bodies may apply for retirement until 31 December 2020 inclusive, regardless of their age (Article 69d (1) of the Social Insurance Code).
Insured persons in a professional pension fund acquire the right to a professional early retirement pension in case of:
no less than 10 years of service after 31 December 1999 under the conditions of first category of labor and age, 10 years lower than their age under Art. 68, para. 1 of the Social Insurance Code; (Article 168 (1) (1) of the Social Insurance Code);
no less than 15 years of service after 31 December 1999 under the second category of labor or under the conditions of first and second category of labor and age, 5 years lower than their age under Art. 68, para. 1 of the Social Insurance Code. (Article 168 (1) (2) of the Social Insurance Code).
In assessing the entitlement to the early retirement pension under Art. 168, para. 1, item 2 of the Social Insurance Code, the insured length of service from first labor category supplements the insured length of service from second labor category without conversion.
The pension from a professional pension fund shall be paid until reaching the age under Art. 68, para. 1 from the person and can not be obtained together with a pension for labor activity or with a social disability pension.
The existence of the required length of service for early retirement from a professional pension fund is evidenced by a certificate issued by the National Social Security Institute.
How is the amount of the pension determined?
The amount of the retirement-age pension is determined by multiplying the income from which the pension is calculated by a percentage of 1.2 for each year of length of service and the corresponding proportion of that percentage for the months of length of service. (Article 70 (1) of the Social Insurance Code)
For the persons who have acquired the right to a pension under Art. 68, para. (1) and (2) and continue to work after the date of acquisition of the right without a personal pension, for each year of service completed between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2011 the rate shall be 3 and from 1 January 2012 y - 4, and the corresponding proportional part of these percentages for the months of pensionable service. The percentage for each year of insurance period after the date of acquisition of the right under Art. 68, para. (1) and (2) shall be determined for actual calendar insurance periods, without conversion. (Article 70 (2) of the Social Insurance Code)
The income from which the pension is calculated is determined by multiplying the average monthly insurance income for the country for the 12 calendar months preceding the month of granting the pension by the individual coefficient of the person. (Article 70 (3) of the Social Insurance Code)
For pensions granted before 1 January 2019, the individual coefficient shall be calculated from the insured income of the person for a period of three consecutive years from the last 15 years of service until 1 January 1997 at the choice of the person and his / her insurance income for the period after that date until the date of granting the pension. Where the insured income of the person up to 1 January 1997 is for a period of less than three years, the individual coefficient shall be calculated from that income. When determining the individual coefficient of a self-insured person, the income on which the social security contributions are paid is taken into account. (Article 70 (4) of the Social Insurance Code)
For calculation of the individual coefficient, the following is determined:
the ratio between the average monthly insured income of the person for the period up to 31 December 1996 inclusive and the average monthly salary for the country for the same period declared by the National Statistical Institute; (Article 70 (5) (1) of the Social Insurance Code);
the ratio between the average monthly insured income of the person for the period after 31 December 1996 and the average monthly insured income for the country for the same period. (Article 70 (5) (2) of the Social Insurance Code)
The individual coefficient for pensions granted with a starting date before 1 January 2019 shall be calculated as each of the ratios under Art. 70, para. 5 of the CSR shall be multiplied by the number of months for which it is established and the sum of the produced works shall be divided by the total number of months included in the two periods. Where the persons have no insurance income after 31 December 1996, the individual coefficient shall be equal to the ratio under Art. 70, para. 5, item 1, and when their insurance income is entirely after that date, the individual coefficient shall be equal to the ratio under Art. 70, para. 5 (2). (Article 70 (6) of the Social Insurance Code)
The ratio under Art. 70, para. 5, item 2 may not exceed the ratio between the maximum insurable income determined by the State Social Security Budget Act and the average monthly insurable income for the country for the same period. (Article 70 (7) of the Social Insurance Code)
For pensions granted with a starting date after 31 December 2018, the individual coefficient shall be calculated from the insured income of the person for the periods after 31 December 1999 until the date of granting the pension but for a period of not less than 36 months.
When the person's insurance income after 31 December 1999 is for a period of less than 36 months, his last insurance income before 1 January 2000 shall be taken into account for the shortage period in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Regulation on pensions and insurance period. Where the person has no insurance income before 1 January 2000 or his income before that date is for a period less than that required to supplement up to 36 months, the individual coefficient shall be calculated from the available income regardless of the length of the period to which it relates.
Where the individual has no insurance income after 31 December 1999, the individual coefficient is calculated from his last insured income for 36 months up to that date or from his available income when the income is for a shorter period. (Article 70 (8) of the Social Insurance Code)
The individual coefficient for pensions granted starting with 31 December 2018 shall be calculated by dividing the sum of the monthly ratios between the person's monthly insurable income and the average insured income for that country for the same month divided by the sum of the ratios between the number of work days covered by the insured person's income for the month in question and the number of working days during the month - for all months participating in the calculation of the individual coefficient. The hours worked by the person are calculated in proportion to the statutory working hours. The individual coefficient can not exceed the average arithmetic mean of the monthly ratios between the maximum monthly amount of the insurance income determined by the State Social Security Budget Act for the respective year and the average monthly insurable income for the country for the months after 31 December 1999 in the calculation of the individual coefficient. (Article 70 (9) of the Social Insurance Code)
The insurance income from which the individual coefficient of a person born after 31 December 1959 is calculated shall be reduced as follows:
in calculating the individual coefficient for pensions granted with a starting date before 1 January 2019, the insurable income for the months during which the person is insured in a universal pension fund shall be reduced by the income determined on the basis of a coefficient representing an average weighted ratio for these months between the amounts of the social security contributions for the the universal pension fund and the Pensions fund for the third labor category for the persons born before January 1, 1960, by an order determined by an act of the Council of Ministers; (Article 70 (10) (1) of the Social Insurance Code);
in calculating the individual coefficient for pensions granted with a starting date after 31 December 2018, the insurable income for each month during which the person is insured in a universal pension fund shall be reduced by the income determined on the basis of the ratio for the relevant month between the amount of the social security contribution for the universal pension fund and the amount of the contribution to the Pensions Fund for the third labor category for the persons born before 1 January 1960 (Article 70 (10) (2) of the Social Insurance Code).
The insurable income, from which the individual coefficient of a person born after 31 December 1959 is calculated, shall not be reduced when, at the date of issue of the disposition of granting the pension, the person has a changed insurance under Art. 4b of Social Insurance Code. Where, at the date of issue of the disposition of granting the pension, the person has resumed his/ her insurance in a universal pension fund under the procedure of Art. 124a of Social Insurance Code, the insurable income is not reduced for the months during which the person was not insured in a universal pension fund and the accumulated funds from his individual account were transferred to the State Fund for Guaranteeing the Stability of the State Pension System . The insured person's income is not reduced after the transfer of his funds from the State Fund for Guaranteeing the Stability of the State Pension System to the Pensions Fund, respectively to the Pensions fund for the rersons under Art. 69". (Article 70 (11) of the Social Insurance Code)
When determining the amount of a pension under an international treaty to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party or under the European regulations for the coordination of social security systems, account shall be taken of the insurance income for the length of the insurance period acquired under the Bulgarian legislation. (Article 70 (16) of the Social Insurance Code)
In the cases of modification, recalculation, resumption or reimbursement of pensions, the individual coefficient shall be calculated in accordance with the statutory provisions by which it is determined. (Article 70 (18) of the Social Insurance Code)
How is the income determined from which the pension is calculated?
The average monthly insurable income, respectively the insurable income for the month, is determined by the remuneration or the insurance income on which the social security contributions have been paid for the persons under Art. 4, para. 1, para. 3, items 5 and 6 and para. 10 of the Social Insurance Code and for the self-insured persons and seafarers - from the income upon which social security contributions have been paid.
When determining the average monthly insurable income, respectively the monthly insurable income, is not taken into account the time for the income:
of (conscription) military service or alternative service;
of maternity leave, childbirth and child-care leave without a right to cash benefit and the paid and unpaid child-care leave, as well as unpaid leave for temporary incapacity to work for which no financial compensation is paid;
of the considered insurance period of the non-working mothers;
of training of the persons who have completed higher or college education or of shortage periods for acquiring the right to a pension under Art. 68, para. 1, for which the persons have paid social security contributions at their own expense;
after 1 January 1996, during which a parent (adopter) of a child with permanent disability took care of the child until he was 16 years of age and therefore did not work under a labor or an employment relations and was not insured;
from 1 January 2001, when a parent (adoptive parent) or spouse (wife) of a person with a disability to whom someone else's help was determined, and the time of 15 August 2015 during which one of the parents of the mother or father the person with a disability cared for him/her and therefore were not insured or did not received a pension, and after 1 January 2018 - a personal pension;
during which the persons have received unemployment benefit in granting pensions with starting date 31 December 1999;
of unpaid leave, which is considered a period of insurance or a legal strike;
during which the persons have been insured under Art. 4, para. 5, 7 and 9 of the Social Insurance Code.
Where, during the period from which the individual coefficient is determined, the time spent on statutory leave or legal strike is taken into account:
for the time of paid leave paid by the employer - the remuneration received for that leave on which contributions have been paid or payable;
for the period of leave due to temporary incapacity to work, pregnancy and childbirth or upon adoption of a child up to the age of 5, in which cash benefit was received from the State Social Insurance - the income from which the benefit was calculated (for the period from 1 January 2000 until 31 December 2004 - the benefit on which contributions have been paid or payable).
When determining the amount of a pension related to the application of an international treaty to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party or of the European regulations for coordination of the social security systems, when under Bulgarian legislation only insurance period is taken into account, which is not included in determining the insurance income under Art. 70a, para. 2 of the Social Insurance Code, the minimum monthly salary established for the country for the respective period shall be taken into consideration for calculating the individual coefficient.
How does the insurance period from first and second labor category transforms into third category of labor?
On retirement for insurance periods and age, the insurance period is transformed as three years of insurance period of first category or four years of second category being considered for five years of length of service of third category of labor.
For persons who retire earlier under special and relaxed conditions, the transformation of the length of service into a third category of labor shall be carried out in the manner specified in Art. 104 of Social Insurance Code.
What is the minimum and maximum amount of the pension?
The minimum monthly amount of the retirement pension is determined by the State Social Security Budget Act. From 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 this amount is 207,60 BGN and from 1 July 2019 - 219,43 BGN.
The amount of the retirement-age under Art. 68, para. 3 may not be less than 85 per cent of the minimum amount of the pension under Art. 68, para. 1. From 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 the amount is 176,46 BGN and from 1 July 2019 - 186,52 BGN.
The maximum monthly amount of one or more pensions received without the supplements to them from 1 January 2019 shall be set at 910 BGN and from 1 July 2019 and from 1 July of each subsequent calendar year - at the amount of 40 percent of the maximum monthly amount of the insurance income determined by the State Social Security Budget Act for the respective year. From 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019, the maximum amount is 910 BGN, and from 1 July 2019 - 1 200 BGN (40% of the 3 000 BGN).
The maximum amount of pension/pensions is not determined for the persons receiving a pension for military invalidity, by reaching the age under Art. 68, para. 1 of the Social Insurance Code.
DISABILITY PENSION DUE TO GENERAL ILLNESS
When are people entitled to a disability pension?
Persons are entitled to a disability pension when they have lost their full or partial working capacity forever or for a long period of time.
Disability pension is determined to persons with 50 and over 50 per cent permanently reduced working capacity/ type and degree of disability.
The entitlement to a disability pension arises from the date of disability, and for blind by birth and blind before taking up work - from the date of the application for granting the pension.
The disability pension is granted for the duration of the disability.
Disability pensions for persons who have reached the age under Art. 68, para. 1 of Social Insurance Code are granted for life. (Articles 71-73 of the SIC)
What are the conditions for entitlement to a disability pension due to a general illness?
The insured acquire the right to a disability pension due to a general illness if they have lost their working capacity and have an insurance period up to the date of disability, and for blind by birth and blind before taking up employment - until the date of the application for granting a pension, as follows:
up to the age of 20 and for blind and blind before taking up employment - regardless of the duration of the insurance period;
up to the age of 25 - one year, of which 1/3 or 4 months of actual insurance period;
up to the age of 30 – three years, of which 1/3 or one year of actual insurance period;
over the age of 30 - five years, of which 1/3-та or one year and eight months of actual insurance period.
Persons with birth defects and persons with acquired permanent disability until starting work acquire the right to a disability pension due to a general illness of one year of actual insurance period.
A disability pension due to a general illness shall not be granted, resumed or reimbursed to persons who have been granted a personal retirement-age pension. (Article 74 of the Social Insurance Code)
How is the amount of the disability pension due to a general illness determined?
The amount of the disability pension due to a general illness is determined by multiplying the income from which the pension is calculated by a percentage of 1.2 for each year of pensionable service and the corresponding proportional part of the percentage for the months of the insurance period.
Where, at the date of disability, the insured person is of an age lower than the age under Art. 68, para. 1 of the Social Insurance Code, the difference between his age, but not earlier than the age of 16, and the age under Art. 68, para. 1, shall be recognized as a period of insurance. In determining the pension, the recognized time and the respective proportionate part of the percentage of months of insured period be multiplied by a coefficient according to the degree of permanently reduced working capacity/type and degree of disability of the person as follows:
over 90 per cent - 0,9;
from 71 to 90 percent - 0,7;
from 50 to 70,99 percent - 0,5.
The amount of the disability pension due to a general illness can not be less than the minimum amount established in the Social Insurance Code, which is determined by the degree of permanently reduced working capacity/type and degree of disability of the individual, as follows:
over 90 per cent - 115 per cent of the minimum retirement pension and BGN 238.74 from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 and from 1 July 2019 – BGN 252.34;
from 71 to 90 per cent - 105 per cent of the minimum amount of the retirement pension and 217.98 BGN from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 and from July 1, 2019 - BGN 230.40;
from 50 to 70,99 per cent - 85 per cent of the minimum amount of the retirement pension and 176.46 leva from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 and from 1 July 2019 - 186.52 levs (Article 75 of the Social Insurance Code).
How is the income and the individual coefficient for calculating the disability pension calculated for a general illness?
The income from which the amount of disability pension due to general illness is calculated is determined by multiplying the average monthly insurance income for the country for 12 calendar months prior to the month of granting the pension by the individual coefficient of the person. (Article 76 of the Social Insurance Code)
In order to determine the amount of disability pensions due to a general illness, granted with a starting date before 1 January 2019, the individual coefficient shall be calculated according to the procedure established by Art. 70, para. 4-7, para. 10, item 1 and para. 11 of the Social Insurance Code, and for the pensions granted with a starting date after December 31, 2018 - by the order of art. 70, para. 8, 9, para. 10, item 2 and para. 11. (Article 77 of the Social Insurance Code)
DISABILITY PENSION DUE TO WORK ACCIDENT ANDOCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
Under what conditions is a disability pension due to an accident at work and an occupational disease granted and in what amount?
Insured persons, who have lost 50 or more than 50 per cent of their working capacity due to an accident at work or an occupational disease, are entitled to a disability pension due to an accident at work or an occupational disease regardless of the length of the insurance period. (Article 78 of the Social Insurance Code)
The amount of the disability pension due to an accident at work or an occupational disease is determined by multiplying the average monthly insurance income for the country for 12 calendar months before the month of granting the pension by the individual coefficient calculated in accordance with Art. 70, para. 4-7, para. 10, item 1 and para. 11 - for pensions granted with a starting date till January 1, 2019, and for pensions granted with a starting date after 31 December 2018 - by the order of art. 70, para. 8, 9, para. 10, item 2 and para. 11, and by the following coefficients, according to the degree of permanently reduced working capacity/type and degree of disability of the person:
over 90 per cent - 0,4494;
from 71 to 90 per cent - 0,3932;
from 50 to 70,99 per cent - 0,3371.
The amount of the disability pension due to an accident at work or an occupational disease may not be less than the minimum amount established in the CSR, determined by the degree of permanently reduced working capacity/type and degree of disability of the individual, as follows:
over 90 per cent - 125 per cent of the minimum retirement-age pension, or 259.50 BGN from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019, and from 1 July 2019 – 274,29 BGN;
from 71 to 90 per cent - 115 per cent of the minimum retirement-age pension and 238.74 BGN from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 and from 1 July 2019 - 252.34 BGN;
from 50 to 70,99 per cent - the minimum amount of the retirement-age pension, or 207,60 BGN from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019, and from 1 July 2019 - 219,43 BGN.
The amount of the invalidity pension due to an accident at work and an occupational disease may not be less than the amount calculated as a disability pension due to a general illness. (Article 79 of the Social Insurance Code)
When are persons entitled to an survivor’s pension ?
Personal pensions can be passed along into inheritable ones, except for civil disability pensions, old-age social pensions, social disability pensions and personal pensions. The children, the surviving spouse and the parents have the right to an survivor’s pension . (Article 80 (1) and (2) of the Social Insurance Code)
Children have the right to an inheritable pension up to the age of 18 and, after reaching this age, if they study - for the duration of the education, but not later than the age of 26, and above this age, if they study and if they were disabled to 18 years of age –till 26 years of age respectively. Children who have a length of service after graduation are not considered to be students. (Article 82 (1) of the Social Insurance Code)
In case of death of the two parents (adoptive parents), children are entitled to an inheritable pension, which is determined by the sum of the pensions of the deceased. (Article 81 (3) of Social Insurance Code)
The surviving spouse is entitled to an inheritable pension 5 years earlier than his age under Art. 68, para. 1 of the Social Insurance Code or before this age if he is incapacitated. (Article 82 (2) of the Social Insurance Code)
Parents are entitled to an survivor’s pension from their children if they have reached the age of Art. 68, para. 1 and do not receive a personal pension while the parents of the persons who died on military service and military personnel killed in military service in operations or missions outside the territory of the country shall be entitled to a survivor's pension for a disability regardless of their age. (Article 82 (3) and (4) of the Social Insurance Code)
How is the amount of the survivor's pension determined?
The survivor's pension is determined as a percentage of the personal pension of the deceased insured person as follows:
with one heir - 50 per cent;
for two heirs - 75 per cent;
for three or more heirs - 100 per cent.
The survivor's pension is granted to all persons entitled to it and distributed equally among them.
The minimum amount of the survivor's pension may not be less than 75 per cent of the minimum amount of the retirement-age pension for the respective calendar year. From 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 the amount is 155,70 BGN and from 1 July 2019 - 164,57 BGN (Article 81 (1) and (2) of the Social Insurance Code)
GENERAL RULES ON PENSIONS
Based on what documents a pension for labor activity is granted?
To the application (AP-1) for granting a personal retirement-age pension, disability due to general sickness,disability due to an accident at work or occupational disease, the following shall be submitted:
documents for insurance length of service;
for the pensions with a starting date before January 1st, 2019:
documents on gross salary or income on which social security contributions have been paid for 3 consecutive years of the last 15 years of pensionable service at the option of the pensioner before 1 January 1997;
documents on the gross salary or income on which insurance contributions have been paid for the length of the insurance period from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1999 inclusive. Where, for the period after 31 December 1996 or part thereof, documents are not presented, the data of the insured persons register shall be used;
To the application for granting a survivor's pension or supplement under Art. 84 of the Social Insurance Code by the person leaving an inheritance who has not been a pensioner, besides the documents necessary for determining a personal pension according to the type, the following documents are also presented:
a certificate for the heirs and in the case that it is not possible to issue a certificate of heirs, another authentic official document issued by a competent authority of a foreign state certifying the family or family relation with the deceased translated into Bulgarian;
for children over 18 until the age of 26 if they continue to study - a certificate from the respective educational school;
for disabled children up to 18 years of age until the age of 26 during the education or the (conscription) military service - expert decision of TEMC (NEMC) with all necessary data for determining the right and duration of the pension and a document from the respective educational school certifying the quality of a learner;
for surviving spouses who have not reached the required age and are incapacitated - an expert decision of TEMC (NEMC) with the data necessary to determine the right and duration of the pension;
for children - a declaration that they are not adopted but for surviving spouses - a declaration that they have not entered into a civil marriage;
for parents - a declaration that they do not receive a personal pension and are not deprived of parental rights, as well as a document certifying that they are parents - a birth certificate, a court decision or a certificate from the municipality;
for the parents of persons deceased during (conscription) military service - and a document issued or certified by the respective unit certifying that the death occurred during the conscript service.
In which cases can an insurance length of service be taken into account for the payment of social security contributions by the persons?
The period of educating the persons who have completed higher education or post-secondary education but not exceeding the education period provided for in the curriculum for the completed specialty shall be considered a period of insurance if the persons contribute at their own account social security contributions in that period, calculated on the minimum insurance income for self-insured persons, as well as the time of the PhD, determined in the normative act for the persons who have acquired the educational and scientific degree "doctor".
Persons who have reached the retirement age under Art. 68, para. 1 of Social Insurance Code and who do not have up to 5 years of retirement insurance under these conditions may pay at their own expense social security contributions for their insufficient length of service, calculated on the minimum insurable income for the self-insured persons with the amount of the contribution to the Pensions Fund for persons born before January 1, 1960. For 2019, the insurance contribution is 19.8 per cent over BGN 560, or 110.88 for one month of insurance period.
From what date are pensions granted?
Pensions and supplements to them are granted from the date of acquisition of the right if the application with the required documents is submitted within 2 months from that date. If the documents are submitted after the expiration of the 2-month period from the acquisition of the right, the pensions and supplements to them shall be granted from the date of their submission. The applications for granting and re-calculating the pensions and the necessary documents may be submitted to the territorial unit of the NSSI at the permanent or current address of the applicant. Applications for granting and recalculation with insurance period or insurance period and income, acquired after retirement, may also be submitted electronically on the NSSI website.
Outside of the above-mentioned cases, a disability pension and/or an extra help allowance is granted from the date of submission by the person of an application to the Territorial Expert Medical Commission (TEMC), but not earlier than the date of disability, respectively - of the date for determining the need for someone else’s help if the necessary documents for retirement are submitted to the territorial unit of the NSSI within one month from the expiration of the term for appealing the expert's decision of TEMC or the National Expert Medical Commission (NEMC) regarding the eligible person.
Surviving pension or supplement under Art. 84 of the Social Insurance Code shall be granted from the date following the date of termination of the pension of the deceased if the application is submitted within two months from the date of the death of the deceased.
The pension under Art. 68, para. 4 shall be granted from the date of reaching the age under Art. 68, para. 3, but not earlier than the date of submission of the application.
What are the deadlines for granting the pensions?
Pensions are granted within four months from the date of submitting the application to the territorial unit (TU) of the NSSI. Labor pensions are granted and paid at the minimum rate for the respective type of pension in question until their actual amount under the Social Insurance Code is determined, and when a pension is granted for the first time, officials declare the order about the minimum amount within one month of the date of application submission. After determining the final amount, and if there is a difference, it is paid to the pensioner from the date of the grant.
In which cases more than one pension cannot be received?
The following types of pensions can not be received simultaneously:
personal pension for insurance length of service and age with survivor's pension for insurance length of service and age;
a personal or survivor's pension for insurance length of service and old age with a personal or survivor's disability pension due to a general illness;
a personal disability pension due to general illness with survivor’s disability pension due to general illness;
a social old-age pension, a social disability pension and a personal pension with another type of pension, including a pension granted in another country;
survivor's pension for insurance length of service or old age or survivor's pension for disability due to general illness with a survivor's pension of the same type.
How is the amount of pensions determined if the person is entitled to more than one pension?
Where the person is entitled to more than one personal disability pension for various sufferings, the highest amount is determined;
With the right to more than one pension, one of the pensions in full and 50 per cent of the other pension is received by choice.
Military invalids by reaching the age under Art. 68 of the Social Insurance Code receive the full amount of their determined two pensions - a pension for military disability and a retirement-age pension.
In granting a survivor's pension to the survivors of a military invalid who was simultaneously receiving or entitled to a full military disability and retirement-age pension, the full amount of the two pensions is taken as the basis.
Parents of deceased persons can not receive both a personal and survivor's pension, except for the parents of those who died during conscripted military service and the soldiers killed in military service in operations or missions outside the territory of the country, which they receive in full amount of personal pension and survivor’s pension for military disability.
When can the pension be recalculated?
Persons who have been granted a retirement-age pension for disability due to general sickness and disability due to an accident at work or an occupational disease may request not more than once within one calendar year to recalculate the retirement pension for acquired insurance period after retirement or acquired insurance period and income after if this is more favorable to them. The recalculation shall be carried out in accordance with Art. 70, respectively Art. 75 - 77 of the SIC with effect from the first day of the month following the month of submission of the application
The person can submit an application in a form approved by the NSSI manager, requesting his/ her pension to be recalculated ex officio in the above order. Recalculation is carried out once a year in accordance with the procedure established by the Regulation on Pensions and Social Security, based on the available data from the register of the insured persons and for the self-insured persons - on the basis of the social security contributions paid after retirement, respectively - after the last recalculation of the pension. Recalculation is carried out from the first day of the month following the month of submitting the application as each subsequent year for that particular pensioner being recalculated from the first day of the same month.
Recalculation takes into account the average monthly social security income for the country for the 12 calendar months preceeding the month of the first granting the pension, after which the amount received is updated, recalculated and indexed according to the legislation in force after the date of granting the pension. For pensions granted till January 1, 2000, the recalculation takes into account the average monthly social security income for the country in 2007. When the pension is recalculated, the insurance length of service after 31 December 2010 shall not be ctransformed under Art. 104 of the Social Insurance Code.
Persons may request a recalculation of the pension from the insurance income for another three-year period before January 1, 1997 within 12 months after the entry into force of the order, the amount of which is determined by the order of this Code. (Article 70 (17) of the Social Insurance Code)
When recalculating the pensions under Art. 68a of the Social Insurance Code the amount of their reduction for each shortage of month to the person until reaching the age under Art. 68, para. 1 does not change (Article 102, paragraph 6 of the Social Insurance Code). Amount of reduction means the reduction percentage determined by the initial grant of the pension, which is formed by: 0.4 per cent for each shortage of month to the person until reaching the age under Art. 68, para. 1 of the Social Insurance Code.
In 2019, pensions are not updated according to Art. 100 of the Social Insurance Code. (§7b, paragraph 1 of the Transitional and Final Provisions of the Social Insurance Code)
The amount as of 30 June 2019 of pensions granted with a starting date to 31 December 2018 shall be increased by 1 July 2019 by a rate of 5,7. (§7b (2) of the Transitional and Final Provisions of the Social Insurance Code )
Pensions granted with a starting date to 31 December 2018 shall be recalculated from 1 July with a percentage of 1,2 for each year of pensionable service and the corresponding proportion of that percentage for the months of insurance length of service. Pensions for accidents at work and occupational disease, granted up to 31 December 2018, shall be recalculated from 1 July 2019 with the relevant coefficient under Art. 79, para. 1 of the CSR. (§7c, paragraph 1 of the Transitional and Final Provisions of the Social Insurance Code)
Recalculation is carried out without altering the income from which the pension is calculated, after which it is updated, recalculated and indexed in accordance with the regulations in force from the date of the grant until 30 June 2019 inclusive. (§7c (2) of the Transitional and Final Provisions of the Social Insurance Code)
When the recalculated pension amount with the higher weight of 1.2 for the insurance length of service and the 5.7 percentage increase of the pension are not equal, the pension is set at the higher amount, the favorable increase for the persons, which can not be less than 5.7 per cent. (§7c, para 3 of the Transitional and Final Provisions of the Social Insurance Code)
In what way pensions are paid?
Pensions and supplements are paid through post offices and banks in the country.
Post offices pay the pensions and supplements to them by electronic payment card from the 7th to the 20th of the month to which they refer. When the 7th and 20th are non-working days, the payout begins at the beginning and ends at the end of the next business day. Payment is made on a schedule, which is announced in advance to the citizens. Unpaid pensions and allowances within the specified period may be paid in the next month within the period for payment of pensions. Post offices pay unreceived pensions as pensions for past period up to 6 months, including the current month. Pensions can be paid at the homes of pensioners at the permanent or current address following requests by the persons to the Head of the post office if they receive a pension for permanently reduced working capacity / type and degree of disability or have reached the age of 68. When changing the address for receiving the pension, the pensioner submits an application to the territorial unit of the National Social Security Institute. When the new address is in the area of another territorial unit of the NSSI, his pension file is sent to the respective territorial unit with an accompanying letter. An application for changing the address of receipt of the pension may be sent electronically, signed with a personal identification code and a PIN/PN/PNF or a qualified electronic signature. Upon temporary stay in another settlement, pensioners may receive their pensions from the post office serving the residence address. In this case, an application is submitted to the Head of the post office. Pensions may also be paid through post offices with a pension order when:
pensions are paid for incomplete month;
pensions are suspended from payout for the current month;
there are amounts not received from a deceased retired person.
Pensions transferred with a pension order are paid through the electronic payment card of the pensioner upon request within 20 days of receipt at the post office. If the pension order is not paid within this time limit, the amount is returned to the TA of the NSSI, which prepared it.
Upon a written application of the pensioner to the territorial unit of the NSSI, which pays his pension, it can be transferred to a current or saving indefinite personal account in a bank specified by him, included with his own code in the Banking Integrated System for Electronic Payments (BISERA). The application can be sent by the pensioner electronically, signed with a personal identification code and a PIN/PN/PNF or a qualified electronic signature. The application may also be filed with the respective bank that has opened the account if there is an agreement between this bank and the NSSI for the exchange of such information. In this case, the bank shall submit the data from the application of the respective territorial unit of NSSI within the term agreed between the bank and the NSSI. In the application to the territorial unit of the NSSI the following info is entered: the bank and the code, bank account number, the three full names of the pensioner as per the identity documents, the PIN/PN/PNF , the address at which the pension is received and the post branch of the post office. A copy of the holder’s bank account number is also attached to it. When the application is accepted in a bank, a copy of the holder's bank account number is not attached and the bank confirms in the application the holder's bank account number.
The National Social Security Institute transfers the sums for pensions to the banks in the first 3 working days of the 7th number of the month or when the payment of pensions begins in the post offices.
From 01.01.2019 the NSSI territorial units will not issue to the survivors of a deceased pensioner who has received his pension through a bank, a certificate showing data of the last month for which the deceased was entitled to a pension and including the month to which the pension was transferred to the account. Therefore, the obligation of the survivors of a deceased pensioner to require its issue from the territorial unit of the NSSI and consequently submit it to the bank upon closure of the account falls out. Since the beginning of 2019, the NSSI has sent in an official order the specified certificatesto the banks paying the pensions.
SIC* – Social Insurance Code
TFP LASSIC** - Transitional and Final Provisions of the Law for Amending and Supplementing the Social Insurance Code
TFP SIC*** - Transitional and Final Provisions of the Social Insurance Code
For more information, use the specialized sections in the website of NSSI or contact the appropriate Regional Office of the Institute