In 2025, the minimum retirement age undergoes some changes. The changes planned for the social security system are the result of a gradual implementation process of the Social Security Reform, approved in 2019, which is expected to extend until 2031.
On January 24th, Social Security Day, we bring in social security lawyer Jefferson Maleski from the law firm Celso Cândido de Souza Advogados to clarify the main impacts of these changes. "The transition rules aim to soften the impact of the new rules for those who were already under the previous retirement regime but had not yet met the necessary requirements for retirement," explains the lawyer.
According to him, there are two important changes for 2025:
- The Punctuation Transition Rule:
This rule applies to those who need to reach a minimum score, combining age and contribution time. In 2025, women will need to reach 92 points to retire, while men will need to reach 102 points. For women, the minimum contribution time required is 30 years, and for men, 35 years.
“The score is progressive, which means that each year the number of points required to retire will increase. For example, in three years, men will need 105 points and women 95 points, but women will have an increase up to 100 points when they meet the final requirements of the reform, defined by Constitutional Amendment 103,” says Maleski.
- The Progressive Minimum Age Rule:
Another important change involves the minimum retirement age, which remains progressive in 2025. For women, the minimum age will be 59 years, while for men it will be 64 years. This age requirement will be adjusted annually, with an increase of six months per year. For example, in 2026, women will need 59 and a half years, and men, 64 and a half years.
“Furthermore, it is important to note that, for both rules, the contribution time must also be respected: 30 years for women and 35 years for men”, comments the lawyer.
How can the population prevent and plan for retirement?
Maleski's main recommendation is that workers who are close to retirement continue contributing to the INSS, especially those who have not yet met the requirements but are close to doing so. For those who lost their jobs, it is essential to maintain self-contribution using the INSS payment booklets, ensuring that the contribution time continues to be counted.
Maleski also warns about the risk of incorrect or outdated information found on the internet. "Often, online guidance may be outdated or misinterpreted. Therefore, the suggestion is that the population seek information directly from the official INSS channels, such as the phone number 135, the Meu INSS app, or the Meu INSS website," he says.
If there are discrepancies in the data from the National Social Information Registry (CNIS) or if the INSS information does not match what the worker believes to be his contribution time, a social security lawyer can be consulted for appropriate social security planning, clarifying the best options to guarantee retirement.
Maleski emphasizes that, although the changes are significant, the pension system in Brazil continues to offer retirement possibilities for different types of workers. The important thing is to be well informed and to make a good plan, to ensure that the new rules do not harm those who are close to retirement.
