Initial capital is the reconstructed amount of pension insurance contributions from before 1999. The amount of this amount has a direct impact on the amount of the pension. In the absence of appropriate documents, ZUS will accept the minimum wage for a given period, which may significantly reduce the benefit. Therefore, it is worth ensuring that you collect and submit the required documents.
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As explained by the Social Insurance Institution, the initial capital is determined for persons born after 1948, who worked or paid social security contributions before 1999. This also applies to persons born before 1949, who reached retirement age after 1998, met certain conditions regarding the length of service and submitted an application for a pension after 2008.
In order for ZUS to calculate someone's initial capital, you must submit the following documents yourself:
- application for initial capital (EKP form),
- information on contributory and non-contributory periods (ERP-6 form),
- documents confirming work experience, e.g. employment certificates, certificates from employers, insurance cards, employment contracts or certificates from archives.
If you do not have documents confirming your salary, ZUS will accept the minimum salary for this period.
Initial capital is the key to a higher pension? ZUS responds
The documents can be submitted to any ZUS branch. To confirm insurance experience before January 1, 1999, you must submit, for example:
- employment certificates,
- employers' certificates or insurance ID cards (if they contain an entry on employment periods),
- employment contracts,
- business ID cards,
- letters sent by the employer (e.g. regarding appointment, change of employment, granting leave, dismissal),
- certified copies of documents or their copies issued by the archive or unit that stores documentation of liquidated workplaces,
- testimony of witnesses, preferably former colleagues and a statement regarding the lack of documents,
- a certificate that the person was registered at the Labor Office or received unemployment benefits,
- certificate from the Social Welfare Center.
“They will be considered by the unit competent for your place of residence. Remember to provide the original documents – they will be returned after the proceedings are completed,” ZUS reminds on its website.
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The company adds that if you manage to find new documents confirming someone's length of service or earnings that have not been submitted before, you can apply for a recalculation of the initial capital.
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The initial capital is also calculated for soldiers and officers released from service who were born after 1948, served before 1999 and do not have an established right to a pension for service. This includes, among others: officers of the Police, Border Guard, Internal Security Agency and Fire Service.
