To the question: “what is IKZE?”, the simplest answer is to explain that it is a way to additional save for retirement. Individual Pension Security Account is a system that has been operating in Poland since 2012 and allows not only to save money for the future, but also to benefit from tax preferences.
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IKZE is one of the few products that allows for real tax savings while accumulating capital. Thanks to this solution, you can not only secure your future, but also gain financially here and now. It is worth knowing the principles of operation of IKZE to fully use its potential.
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As a reminder: the Polish pension system is based on several pillars:
- first pillar — state system (account in ZUS) — mandatory
- second pillar — sub-account in ZUS and Open Pension Funds — obligatory
- third pillar — all additional forms of saving for retirement, such as the Individual Pension Account (IKE), Employee Capital Plans (PPK), Employee Pension Plans (PPE) or the Individual Pension Security Account – voluntary.
IKZE 2026 – what is it, how does it work and what tax benefits does it offer?
IKZE is an account to which you can deposit specific amounts and deduct them from the tax base in PIT. The funds are private, can be inherited and invested in various assets. Withdrawal after the age of 65 and a minimum of 5 years of payments means only 10%. flat-rate tax, excluding Belka tax. Early withdrawal requires the entire amount to be settled as income.
As explained by the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy, IKZE can be established regardless of having an IKE or participating in an employee pension program.
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Persons over 16 years of age are entitled to make payments, but minors can only make payments in the year in which they receive income from work under an employment contract and not more than their income. The account is only kept individually – it is not possible to set up a joint IKZE, e.g. for spouses.
How to set up an IKZE? What are the contribution limits in 2026?
As explained by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, the key difference between IKZE and IKE are the taxation rules. Contributions to IKZE can be deducted from the PIT tax base, which provides current tax benefits.
Since 2014, withdrawals from IKZE after the end of saving and withdrawals to eligible persons in the event of the saver's death are subject to a flat-rate tax of 10%. The refund before the conditions are met is still subject to taxation according to the PIT scale.
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The operation of IKZE is very similar to investing in an Individual Retirement Account (IKE) or even a regular brokerage account. IKZE is an account in which we can invest in a number of financial instruments.
Only one saver can accumulate savings in IKZE. This means that the Act does not provide for maintaining a joint IKZE account, e.g. for spouses.
You can set up an IKZE regardless of whether you already have an IKE and whether you are a participant in an employee pension program.
In 2026, the limit on IKZE payments was increased:
- for persons employed under an employment contract: from PLN 10,407.60 to PLN 11,304.
- for people running non-agricultural business activities: from PLN 15,611.40 to PLN 16,956.
The money paid into IKZE is exempt from Belka tax and remains in such an account until we reach retirement age. They are also fully private, so they are subject to inheritance.
