Brazil’s National Social Security Institute (INSS) will begin paying the 13th salary to newly eligible retirees and pensioners on November 24. The payments, made alongside regular monthly benefits, will continue through December 7 according to the final digit of each beneficiary’s payment number, excluding the check digit.

The payment is for people whose retirement, pension or other qualifying social security benefit was granted between May and October. Because they did not receive the advance payments made in April and May, they will receive their 13th salary in a single installment. Other eligible beneficiaries were paid earlier this year.

People receiving up to the monthly minimum wage of R$1,621 will be paid first. Those receiving more than the minimum, up to the INSS ceiling of R$8,475.55, will follow. For minimum-wage recipients, payments run from November 24 for benefit numbers ending in 1 to December 7 for those ending in 0. For people receiving above the minimum, the schedule begins on December 1 for numbers ending in 1 or 6 and ends on December 7 for numbers ending in 5 or 0.

Eligibility includes retirement and pension benefits, as well as incapacity benefits such as sickness benefit, disability retirement and accident benefit. Temporary sickness and accident benefits are paid proportionally to the number of months covered. The Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC) and the Monthly Lifetime Income benefit (RMV) do not qualify.

Income tax may be withheld from the 13th salary for beneficiaries who are subject to the tax. The source says people earning up to R$5,000 are exempt under a law approved by the government, while retirees and pensioners aged 65 or older may qualify for an additional income-tax exemption.

Beneficiaries can check their payment information through the Meu INSS app or website. The institute typically releases the exact amount close to the payment date; minimum-wage recipients may see that their payment has been scheduled earlier, while the updated statement becomes available to all recipients from the first day of the payment calendar.

Sources: Folha Mercado.