Chapter VI: Old-age pensions and benefits

When are you entitled to old-age benefits?

Old-age Pension

Entitlement to an Old-age Pension depends on age, gender and the length of insurance  period actually accrued through contributions. The qualifying conditions for entitlement to  an Old-age Pension are:

age of 58 years, with 40 years (for men) or 38 years of pension qualifying period (for  women). These minimum conditions for women will be applicable after a transitional  period completed in 2014, or

age 63 (for men) or age 61 (for women), with 20 years of pension qualifying period, or

ƒage 65 (for men) or age 63 (for women), with at least 15 years of insurance period.

The pension qualifying period includes credited non-contributory periods, for instance  completed undergraduate and postgraduate studies, military service, training for ancillary  police units, or time registered with the Employment Office. Other than these periods, the  insurance period only covers periods for which contributions have been paid.

The minimum retirement age can be lowered in certain cases. For instance, it can be  lowered for a certain child-raising period, or for women employed between the ages of 15  and 18. Hence, the minimum retirement age for women is 55 years and for men 58 years.

State Pension

If minimum conditions for an Old-age Pension are not met, a person might be entitled to a  State Pension as a categorical social assistance benefit for persons over 65 years of age.

What is covered?

Old-age Pension

The amount of an Old-age Pension is calculated as a percentage of the pension  calculation basis. The latter takes into account the 18 highest paid consecutive years since  1970. Both minimum and maximum pension calculation bases are set.  The percentage depends on gender, being slightly higher for women than for men, and  on the length of the pension period. For instance, for those with a pension qualifying  period of 40 years (men) or 38 years (women), the Old-age Pension amounts to 72.5% of  the pension calculation basis.

There is no upper percentage. In fact, insured persons are encouraged to work longer and

defer the retirement. If an insured person works longer than the full working period (40 or 38

years) or retires after reaching the full age (63 for men and 61 for women), a calculation  bonus (a certain additional percentage) is awarded. Reduction (malus) is also possible, if  the person retires before reaching full retirement age.

Partial Pension

If you have already qualified for an Old-age Pension, you have the right to a Partial  Pension. You must not be employed (or be performing self-employed activities) for more  than half of the full working time. Regardless of the reduction, a Partial Pension always  equals half of the Old-age Pension to which you would have been entitled had you retired  completely.

Yearly Supplement

Pensioners are entitled to a lump-sum Yearly Supplement (letni dodatek) which is granted  in two different amounts depending on the amount of the pension. It is slightly higher for  persons with somewhat lower pensions.

Supplementary Allowance

Recipients of a very low Old-age pension may be entitled to a Supplementary Allowance  (varstveni dodatek), a kind of categorical social assistance.

How are old-age benefits accessed?

Claims must be made at the branch office of the Pension and Invalidity Insurance Institute  of Slovenia in the place where you were last insured.  Your right to old-age benefits when moving within Europe  The EU provisions for old-age pensions exclusively concern state pension schemes and not  company, occupational or private ones. They guarantee that:

In each EU country (plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) where you  have been insured, your insurance record is preserved until you reach the pensionable  age in that country.

Every EU country (plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) where you  have been insured will have to pay an old-age pension when you reach the  pensionable age. The amount you will receive from each of the Member States will  depend on the length of your insurance coverage in each state.  Your pension will be paid wherever you reside in the EU (plus Iceland, Liechtenstein,  Norway and Switzerland).∗

You should submit your claim to the pension insurance institution of the EU country (or  Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland) in which you live, unless you have never  worked there. If this is the case, you should apply to the country where you last worked.

Further information about the coordination of social security rights when moving or  travelling can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/social-security-coordination.