Receiving a pension without reporting significant changes in your circumstances is a risky move. If it turns out that the payments were made without legal grounds, the overpaid funds will have to be reimbursed
When do you have to return the pension?
Many pensioners mistakenly believe that overpaid payments are the responsibility of the state and a “gift of fate”, but this is not so, writes 24 Channel with reference to the PFU. Interesting Receiving a pension and salary at the same time: is this allowed in Ukraine
In fact, pension legislation works much more strictly: any overpayment is considered unjustly received funds that are subject to return. After all, the question is not whether they will be demanded back, but when exactly this will happen. The Pension Fund of Ukraine emphasizes: the pension recipient is obliged to report changes in life circumstances that affect the right or amount of payments. Most often, problems arise in five typical situations.
What 5 things should be reported to the PFU?
Return to work or registration of an individual entrepreneur
Inactive pensioners are automatically transferred payments taking into account the increase in the subsistence minimum. A different mechanism applies to working pensioners. If a person gets a job or starts a business and does not notify the Pension Fund of this, the Pension Fund continues to pay a pension based on “inactive” accruals.
We remind you! When the information is pulled from the tax registers, the difference will have to be returned.
Long-service pension and return to the profession
For teachers, doctors, drivers and other categories, a long-service pension is paid only if the person does not work in the relevant specialty. At the same time, returning to the same position automatically cancels the right to such payments.
Change of residence
Increases for living in mountainous areas or radioactive contamination zones are valid only if the person actually lives in these territories. Moving without notifying the Pension Fund means receiving additional payments without legal grounds.
Changes related to children
Child support allowances or payments in case of loss of breadwinner depend on specific conditions. If the child has stopped studying, switched to part-time education, or the pensioner himself has started working, the grounds for such allowances disappear.
Loss or change of special status.
Preferential pensions and allowances are tied to status, such as war veteran. If the status changes or is canceled, payments in an increased amount become illegal.
Failure to report these circumstances is regarded as unjustified receipt of budget funds. In such a case, the Pension Fund offers to voluntarily return the overpayment.
Please note! If this is not done, a decision is made on compulsory collection: up to 20% of the amount can be withheld from the pension each month until the debt is fully repaid. In complex cases, the matter goes to court.
What else should you know about pensions in Ukraine?
The size of the pension in Ukraine is formed not only by the fact of reaching retirement age. Two indicators play a key role: the insurance experience and the official level of the salary from which contributions to the Pension Fund were paid. It is their combination that determines whether the pension will be minimal, or will approach the average or higher indicators.
As explained in the Pension Fund of Ukraine, even with a relatively short experience, a high official salary can be a decisive factor. If a person has, for example, 25 years of insurance experience, but throughout his working life received a consistently high “white” income, his pension rights are formed much more actively than those who worked longer, but for minimal payments.
