The second phase of the reform of the pensions it’s ready. The plan designed by Minister José Luis Escrivá, which has been approved with the approval of the unions and the frontal opposition of the CEOE employer, it includes several new features and one of them directly affects the almost 80,000 professionals from Girona who will retire from the labor market in the next ten years. All will turn to the calculator for choose between taking into account the last 25 years quoted (as it happened until now) or take into consideration the last 29 years without taking into account the two with the lowest contribution.
In the coming years, Girona faces the retirement of the so-called “baby boom” generation, who will begin to stop working this year. This is the most numerous age group and, only in the fork that goes from 55 to 64 yearsthe number of workers in the regions of Girona rises to 77,500, according to data from the latest Active Population Survey (EPA).
And this group that is currently most awaiting a reform that, by giving the possibility to choose between the best quoted years, benefits professionals with careers that are less stable. The extension of the retirement pension calculation period to 29 years (excluding the two worst years of contribution) it will be done at the rate of 4 months per year worked from 2026 to 2038.
In addition to the changes in the calculation period, another of the novelties included in the reform fully affects the nearly 20,000 Girona retirees who receive a minimum pension.
And it is that the last layer of the Escrivá reform also affects both the maximum and minimum pensions. Already last year, one of the first measures agreed as part of the social dialogue entered into force, which consists of increasing the contribution benefits each year based on the increase in the CPI, with the aim of shielding the purchasing power of these pensioners On this basis, Escrivá has now modified the conditions of both the maximum and minimum benefits.
In Spain, the maximum pensions are cappedthat is to say, high wages are not paid based on the integrity of what they have contributed and the State, under redistributive criteria, sets a ceiling on benefits. This 2023 the maximum amount of the pension that a retiree can collect is 3,059.23 euros per month. Escrivá’s idea is to gradually raise this threshold, although at a lower rate than the maximum contribution bases. Its initial intention was to raise the current ceiling, adding the effect of inflation, between 15 and 25% compared to current levels.
And, in relation to the minimum contributory pensions, the increase in these amounts will be higher than the average increase in pensions. His plan is to bring the minimum contributory benefit for over 65s with a dependent spouse to the equivalent of 60% of the average income for a household with two adults. And the non-contributory minimum, up to 75% of the average income of a single-person household. All this in a progressive way but with the horizon of 2027 to have it already fulfilled.
The aim is for minimum pensions to reach the equivalent of 14,300 euros in five years, that is, 1,020 euros gross in 12 payments. Currently, the amount of the minimum retirement pay is 966 euros gross for retirees over 65 if they have a dependent spouse and 783 euros per month without a spouse.