“Ticking bomb” in the pension system. Millions of Poles without funds in old age
Millions of self -employed Poles may face retirement poverty in the future. The ZUS report reveals serious problems in the system.
Wirtualna Polska has reached an unpublished report prepared for ZUS. It shows that self -employed in Poland face a serious threat to retirement poverty. The document reveals that most people conducting business activity pay minimum social security contributions. This approach means that many of them will not accumulate sufficient funds for a worthy benefit.
The report was prepared by the Polish Economics Network on behalf of ZUS in October 2023 and completed in June 2024. The data it contains indicates that the current insurance system promotes the formation of pathology on the labor market, such as fictitious self -employment. The document also overthrows a common myth with excessive burden of self -employed contributions, suggesting that they are inadequate to future benefits.
The most vulnerable women
The report shows that women conducting business activity are particularly vulnerable to retirement poverty. They most often pay minimum contributions, which in the future will translate into very low retirement benefits. The state will have to cover the difference to minimal benefits, which will additionally charge the public finance system.
“The pension system in Poland is a ticking bomb for self-employed,” comments Jan Oleszczuk-Zygmuntowski, co-chairman of the Polish economy network for WP. In his opinion, the current system requires urgent reforms to avoid dramatic social and financial consequences in the future.
System dysfunctions and no publication
Although the report was completed a few months ago, its results have not yet been officially presented to the public. According to “Wirtualna Polska”, the document draws attention to the dysfunctionality of the current system, which does not provide adequate social security for self -employed.
Experts indicate that the problem lies in the voluntary folding mechanism, which allows minimal payments to the system, while not guaranteeing sufficient funds for future benefits.
Are there any chances for changes?
The future of self -employed in Poland largely depends on the reform of the pension system. Without changes in the principles of contributing, people conducting business activity can stand in the face of a financial disaster in old age. For now, ZUS has not issued an official position on the publication of the report or further actions in this matter.
