Is it worth buying seniority in work? Social pension is 268 lei higher than retroactive insurance

The law of pensions is particularly strict in Romania in the sense that a person who reached the retirement age cannot be retired if he has a working age of 14 years and 11 months. In order to retire, even if we talk about a social pension of 1,281 lei, the respective person should “buy” the seniority that lacks.

The pension law is particularly strict in Romania

All the laws of public pensions after the Revolution indicated a minimum number of years in the field of work, years in which the employees (before the 2018 reform also contributed) contribute to the public pension system.

And without these contributions, which according to the current pension law must be transferred for at least 15 years, no one reached the retirement age can be retired.

Therefore, in the case of the example above, in which a person who has accumulated a 14 -year -old and 11 months old, will have to conclude a retroactive insurance contract for the public pension system and pay the value of a month, because otherwise he cannot retire.

The situation is also similar for those who want to retire for the old age, which requires an age in work (contributory period) for at least 33 years, if it wants to retire in September 2025, a period of contributivity that increases to a minimum of 35 years in 2030.

As such, all the people who lack a period of seniority in work, but not more than six consecutive years, can address the pension houses to conclude a retroactive insurance contract.

How much does one month cost, one year, six years old in 2025

According to the National House of Public Pensions (CNPP), in 2025, according to the law, the value of a single month of retroactive insurance is 1,013 lei.

“The social insurance contribution due was calculated by applying the social insurance contribution rate in force, (25%) to the insured monthly income, but not lower than the gross minimum wage in the country (minimum contribution 1,013 lei/month)“, CNPP said at the request” Adevărul “.

This means that a person who concluded a retroactive insurance contract for one year paid 12,156 lei, the equivalent of about 2,431 euros.

Two years of seniority costs 24,312 lei, about 4,862 euros; Three years of seniority costs 36,468 lei, about 7,293 euros; Four years old costs 48,624 lei, about 9,725 euros; Five years of age costs 60,780 lei, about 12,156 euros; And six years of seniority costs 72,936 lei, about 14,587 euros.

How many Romanians bought age in 2024 and 2025

At the request of “Adevărul”, CNPP communicated how many people with a bought age in 2024 and in 2025 until September 1, 2025.

“In 2024, 7,256 retroactive insurance contracts were concluded.

In 2025, until 01.09.2025 a number of 4,391 persons concluded social insurance contracts, with 8.2% less compared to 2024 for the same period.

In 2024, until 01.09.2024, 4,783 social insurance contracts were concluded”, Informed CNPP.

Only 205 Romanians bought 6 years of seniority

Asked, during what periods the old Romanians bought, CNPP informed that most (5,870 people) bought between one month and 3 years, according to the table below.

As you can see, most were the ones who needed to complete their seniority for 2 years, the 1,944 people paying each 24,312 lei, about 4,862 euros, while the number of those who bought six years of seniority, paying each 72,936 lei, about 14,587 euros, was only 205 people.

Why is the interest so little

The number of people who would need to complete their contribution period is much higher than the few thousands mentioned, given that a good part of the women who approach the age of retirement were long housewives, and many men have worked “in black”, many of under 15 years of work.

For them, however, the conclusion of a retroactive insurance contract, or for a single year, is difficult to initiate, given the costs.

How much is the social pension in Romania

In addition, the advantage of retirement to the old age for those who have the minimum contribution period of 15 years is very small, most of them benefiting from the social allowance of 1,281.

The amount is only 268 lei higher than the social insurance contribution for one month.

How many Romanians would receive less than social pension

The latest statistical data publishes by CNPP for August shows that almost 900,000 Romanians receive the social allowance of 1,281 lei, having lower revenues than this amount, as follows:

– 353.742 would collect below 700 lei monthly, according to contributivity;

– 298.701 would receive between 701 – 1,000 lei according to contributivity;

– 246,558 would receive between 1,001 – 1,200 lei according to contributivity.

To these are added a good part of the 244,377 people to whom they would be due monthly, contributing to the contribution, between 1.201 (ie less than the social allowance of 1,281 lei) and 1,400 lei.

Conditions for retroactive insurance

The social insurance contract is concluded only for obtaining the old -age pension and only for previous periods.

In the range of 6 years, the insurance for one or more periods of time, continuous or disparate can be requested.

The period for which the social insurance contract can be concluded is at least one month and no more than 6 calendar years (72 months) prior to the month of the conclusion of the contract and is between the date of reaching the age of 18 and the date of reaching the standard retirement age.

This type of social insurance contract can be concluded, according to the law, by any person, regardless of citizenship, and which meets, cumulatively, the following conditions:

• it does not have the quality of pensioner at the date of the conclusion of the social insurance contract in the public system or in a social insurance system not integrated to it, in the country, in the EU member states or in other states with which Romania applies international legal instruments in the field of social security;

• did not carry out a contribution period or internship assimilated to the contribution period in the public pension system or in a social insurance system not integrated to it, in the country, in the EU member states or in other states with which Romania applies international legal instruments in the field of social security, during the period for which the insurance is requested;

• It did not have the obligation to insure in the public pension system during the period for which such insurance is requested.

The social insurance contract for previous periods (Model Annex 14 Law) is concluded, in written form, between the interested person or, as the case may be, the legal representative or his agent, designated by special power of attorney, and the territorial house of pensions competent according to their domicile or residence.

In case the interested person has not appointed a legal representative or agent and does not have his domicile or residence in Romania, he concludes the social insurance contract with the territorial pension house within the last domicile or the last residence/had in Romania.

The social insurance contract produces effects from the date of its registration at the territorial pension house.

The social insurance contract ceases within one year from the date of its conclusion.