In the TV24 program "Press Club," the head of the finance and accounting department at the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences of the University of Latvia, Ramona Rupeika-Apoga, spoke about the expected changes in the growth of minimum benefits and pensions, emphasizing that significant surprises should not be expected, as the system has been operating on new principles for several years, writes LA.LV.
According to her, the changes cannot be considered drastic reforms — they are a logical continuation of previously introduced regulations. "These are not big changes. Already in 2023, amendments were made to the law: we no longer pay a fixed amount of minimum benefits and pensions, but their size changes along with income changes and follows the median," the expert explained.
Rupeika-Apoga noted that for this reason, minimum benefits and pensions are increasing along with the rise in average incomes in the country. This year, the growth has been quite significant.
"Therefore, this year our incomes have increased on average by 12.7%, which means that minimum benefits and minimum pensions will rise from next year," she pointed out.
At the same time, the expert emphasized that this mechanism operates annually and is closely linked to the overall economic situation in the country.
"Every year, it all depends on what the growth of average incomes was. If the economy improves, then next year retirees can expect more," she noted.
The program also focused on changes that will particularly affect working retirees. According to Rupeika-Apoga, the most significant new order will come into effect in 2026. "The only new change that will take effect in 2026 relates to working retirees. Previously, one had to submit an application for pension indexing, a kind of recalculation taking into account earnings during work. Now this will happen automatically. Automatically — in April. But if a retiree wants the recalculation to be done in a specific month, they can submit an application and change the month," Rupeika-Apoga explained.
