September 25, 2024 1st Lt. Antonio Pistillo retired
The Unified Management of Credit and Social Benefits was established by Law no. 662/1996 and provides a series of credit and social benefits to both members and their families, including, for example, the provision of loans and mortgages for the purchase of a first home on advantageous terms, benefits for non-self-sufficient persons, summer holidays, interventions for the elderly and children of school age.
Public employees, belonging to the former Inpdap management, in activity are automatically registered with the Fund and pay a contribution equal to 0.35% of the gross salary (about 11 euros per month for a gross salary of 3,000 euros, about 2,000 net per month), while the membership of pensioners is voluntary and the contribution is 0.15% of the gross amount of the pension (about 4 euros per month for a gross pension of 2,600 euros, about 2,000 net per month). It is important to underline that membership is irrevocable.
Upon termination of service, membership in the Fund is lost unless the interested party does not join the Fund when completing the pension application or does not communicate, by the last day of service, the intention to join even after retirement.
It is not possible to join the Fund after the last day of service unless this option is provided for by a specific regulatory provision.
In fact, by virtue of art. 1, paragraph 483, of law no. 1603/2019, numerous pensioners who, as of January 1, 2020, were not registered were able to submit, within a time limit established by a specific decree, an application for membership in the Credit Fund via the electronic procedure.
Subsequently, law no. 160/2021 reopened, for a period of 6 months ending on 20/2/2022, the possibility of optional membership in the Credit Fund managed by INPS.
Finally, it is worth noting that INPS, with message no. 3028/2024, has specified that, for those who join the Credit Fund, in the presence of a loan, granted during service, still in progress, without prejudice to the possibility of the Institute to offset its debt from the TFS owed to the member, the relative repayment plan may be transferred to the retirement benefit at the time it is disbursed.
In summary, INPS explains that the option to continue membership in the Fund allows the repayment plan of a loan not repaid upon cessation of work to be transferred to the retirement pension, but at the same time it allows the option to withhold the residual debt from the severance pay, which, however, clashes with the fact that the TFS is paid 24 + 3 months after the leave.