Nine questions and answers about fast track pensions and “trust pensions” that answer all the questions.
1. What are fast track pensions and “trust pensions”?
They are two new weapons that we are throwing into the “battle” to further accelerate the process of issuing pensions and to end the hostage-taking of thousands of insured people who often have to wait years to receive their pensions – for which they have paid contributions – having only the advance payment of a pension to make a living.
Both regulations combine the increased technological possibilities within EFKA, with the necessary trust of the state towards the citizen. The combination of the two elements leads to acceleration.
2. How are fast track pensions different from “trust pensions”?
Both the fast track Pensions as well as “trust pensions” are new institutions aimed at accelerating the award of pensions. Fast track pensions are a permanent institution, valid for retirement applications to be submitted from now on. On the other hand, the “trust pensions” refer to the elimination of the stock of pensions that has been created in EFKA.
In other words, fast track pensions are about the future, while “trust pensions” are about the past. In both cases, however, there are three things in common: the use of technology, the trust of the citizen and finally the speed.
3. What are the provisions for fast track pensions?
There is an explicit deadline of three months – starting point for submitting the retirement application – within which the pension must be issued. At this time, the EFKA service must check the applicant’s insurance history and decide whether he is entitled to a pension and its amount. If he fails to complete the process within three months, then he withdraws the pension based on only two data: First, the insurance history as recorded in the electronic system “ATLAS” of EFKA.
And secondly, the statements and data submitted by the insured with their application for retirement to document that they have more time than the one who “sees” the EFKA system. After the expiration of the quarter, that is, the data submitted are not verified before the act of awarding a pension, but are checked afterwards. In the meantime, however, the insured receives his pension without waiting, as he has been waiting until now. This is the basic philosophy of the process rapid award of a pension (fast track).
4. And in “trust pensions” what are the key features?
“Trust pensions” refer to outstanding pensions. The measure will apply to retirement applications submitted by March 31st. For these cases, the pension will be issued on the basis of the data of the insurance history as it is now in the electronic system “ATLAS” and the declarations of the insured for the recognition of additional insurance time that will be accepted, without the need to present documents documenting them. .
That is why the process here will be even faster and will be based on the state’s trust in the insured (“trust pensions”). And in this case the control of the submitted data and supporting documents will be done afterwards. The insured are also obliged to keep physical documents that may not have been submitted to EFKA for 10 years, in order to be able to be presented during the inspections.
5. Are there any new provisions to speed up the issuance of supplementary and lump sum pensions?
A period of three (3) months is established for the issuance of a supplementary pension, which begins with the issuance of the main pension, as well as a period of six (6) months for the lump sum, starting from the date of submission of the relevant request. These deadlines – including of the three-month period for the issuance of a main pension – do not apply to international pensions, ie to pensions issued with the assistance and participation of insurance institutions of other states.
6. If this measure is the “bazooka” to get pensions out quickly and close the issue of outstanding pensions, why did not you implement it earlier?
Because in the past there were not all the electronic systems and technical data that exist now. And also because the outstanding pensions concern the vast majority in the years 2020 and 2021, when the applications for retirement are now submitted electronically. Therefore, the conditions are now ripe – mainly from a technological point of view – for these measures to be implemented. The information system “ATLAS” of EFKA – which keeps the insurance history of the insured is enriched with more and more data. It is much more usable now than in the past. At the same time, as already pointed out, new pension applications (2020, 2021, 2022) are submitted only electronically. In short, the digital transformation of EFKA had to mature to a satisfactory degree in order for this tool to be implemented and effective.
7. And what about cases of discrepancies and errors? In cases where the declared insurance time proves to be shorter than the real one?
First of all, it is important to know that in at least 50% of the cases, the calculations of EFKA and the calculations of the waiting retirees regarding the insurance time are the same. So in half the cases there is no problem and any delay in the past was doubly unfair to the retiree.
In other cases, the relevant audit will be carried out and EFKA will fully (partially (trust pensions)) or partially (fast track pensions) the comments of the waiting pensioner. Then, after the issuance of the pension, if the audits carried out afterwards by EFKA find deviations, the necessary offsets will be made. If e.g. there is a discrepancy between the declaration and the actual insurance – less than two years – the insured will be able to cover the difference, the missing contributions, ie to continue to receive his pension normally.
In the remaining cases, where a larger pension has been paid than it should be, the extra money will be recovered through the relevant procedures that are permanently provided by the State. The system has safety valves to prevent errors in the calculation of pensions. As much as we respect taxpayers’ money, we do the same with the self-evident right of retirees to receive their pension quickly.
8. What if the information provided by the retiree is false?
Then it is foreseen that the penalties that are permanently provided for the deception of the Public Administration will be imposed. The State respects the insured with the institution of the “pension of trust”, therefore it has the claim from the insured to respect the State in turn. In any case, it is provided for the insured to keep the necessary documents for some time, in order to facilitate the subsequent controls by the services of EFKA.
9. But is all this a result of the ineffectiveness of the measures implemented to date for outstanding pensions?
The opposite. The measures so far have been impressive. From 123.00 decisions for main pensions in 2019, we reached 224,000 decisions in 2021. 83% increase. This is a record in the issuance of pensions of all time. At the same time, the advance payment of the national pension was introduced and so even before the issuance of the pension, tens of thousands of pensioners can be covered by the institution. While the involvement of certified lawyers and accountants, which has recently become a practice, will contribute as both they and the insured who used their services to speed up the whole process of pensions.
Those who have resorted to certified lawyers and accountants publicly declare that they withdrew their pension in record time. So what is happening is very simple: Next to the measures that have already been implemented to speed up pensions are the two new regulations, fast track pensions and “trust pensions”, which combine technological developments within EFKA with trust in the citizen . And it is certain that all these measures will pay off in the coming months, finally solving the problem of outstanding pensions.
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