More than 360,000 Bulgarians Keep Working After Retirement

More than 360,000 Bulgarians continue working after retirement in order to increase their income, according to data from the National Social Security Institute (NSSI).

On average, pensions rise by around 16 BGN as a result of additional employment. Bulgaria remains one of the few EU countries where pensions are not taxed. About 127,000 retirees have accumulated up to five extra years of service, though most increases are modest — between 1 and 10 BGN. The highest recorded rise is 385 BGN.

The number of working pensioners in Bulgaria has risen by more than 50% over the past five years, according to the National Social Security Institute (NSSI).

Yordan Inglizov from Blagoevgrad, a former Ministry of Interior employee, has continued working as a security guard after retiring.

He says many pensioners remain in employment because their pensions are too low to cover living costs.

“I retired in 2011 and I have worked every year since then. I’ve only had six months when I wasn’t working. And I work because pensions aren’t enough — our pensions are too small. That’s why I work. We rely on the law. Since the law allows us to work, and we have the physical ability, I want to add to my pension what I am entitled to,” said Yordan Inglizov.

“When a pension for length of service is recalculated, it is done automatically. The person does not need to submit an application. Every calendar year, from 1 April, the National Social Security Institute carries out this process. The person does not need to come in or file a request — the data is taken from the NSSI system and the recalculation is performed,” explained Antoaneta Nikolova, Head of the Pensions Department at the NSSI office in Blagoevgrad.

Blagoevgrad ranks sixth in the country for the number of recalculated pensions this year. Data from the National Social Security Institute show that, in most cases, the monthly increase is around 16 BGN. There is even a case in which a working pensioner managed to add more than 380 BGN to their pension.

“I wasn’t aiming for that and I don’t come close to those 300 BGN. My salary is small, so I get a lower percentage,” said Yordan Inglizov.

“The recalculation for each pensioner is individual. It depends on the length of service accumulated. The calculation takes into account the individual coefficient and the period of insurance service — meaning the income a person receives — and it is unique for everyone. The higher the insurance income, the higher the increase,” explained Antoaneta Nikolova.

This year, more than 234,000 pensions for length of service and age have been recalculated. The number of working pensioners receiving disability pensions is also rising – now almost 129,000, an increase of over 23% in the past three years.