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On January 1, 2026, the transitional retirement rules for the INSS take a step up in the Pension Reform, increasing the points rule, raising the progressive minimum age, and tightening access to benefits for men and women nearing retirement.
As of December 2025, it is already set that retirement through the INSS will become more difficult starting January 1, 2026, when transitional rules created in the Pension Reform will have their requirements raised at the same time, directly impacting the points rule and the progressive minimum age.
The changes affect those who have not yet been able to retire and remain subject to the transitional rules of the INSS. There will be an increase in the minimum scoring in the points rule and an elevation in the progressive minimum age, which in practice could push the retirement through the INSS several months or even years ahead, depending on the date of birth and the time already contributed.
What Changes in Retirement Through the INSS in 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, two central transitional rules for retirement through the INSS will take another step up: the points rule and the progressive minimum age rule.
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In both cases, the effect is the same for those insured who have not yet met the requirements in 2025: it will be necessary to work more to qualify for benefits.
These transitions were created by the Pension Reform specifically for those who were already in the workforce when the permanent rules changed.
In 2026, the “step” rises again, reducing the margin for those intending to retire with a minimal wait, simply waiting to complete the sum of age and time of contribution or reach the required minimum age.
Points Rule: New Levels for Men and Women
In the so-called points rule, retirement through the INSS depends on the sum of age and time of contribution. In 2026, the parameters will be as follows:
Men
• Minimum of 35 years of contribution
• 103 points in the sum of age + time of contribution
Women
• Minimum of 30 years of contribution
• 93 points in the sum of age + time of contribution
Compared to 2025, there is an increase of 1 point for both groups, making access to retirement through the INSS more stringent.
A person who, in 2025, was one point short of completing the requirement may find themselves even further away in 2026, as the demand increases right at the turn of the year.
In practice, this means that each passing year tends to require more points, and those who are far from the combination of age and time of contribution need to recalculate their exit horizon.
For those who are close, a few additional months of contribution or a birthday may be decisive in finally reaching the minimum points.
Progressive Minimum Age Also Rises Six Months
Another relevant change for retirement through the INSS in 2026 occurs in the progressive minimum age rule, which has been gradually raised since the Pension Reform.
In this modality, the insured must meet a minimum contribution time and reach a minimum age that increases year by year.
The requirements starting in 2026 will be:
Men
• 35 years of contribution
• 64 years and 6 months of age
Women
• 30 years of contribution
• 59 years and 6 months of age
The increase is six months compared to the 2025 criteria, tightening the funnel for those who have already completed the contribution time but have not yet reached the minimum age.
An insured individual who reaches 35 years of contribution will only be able to retire in 2026 if they are also 64 years and 6 months old, highlighting the importance of the birthday calendar in the final calculation.
Who Is Affected by the New Transitional Rules
The changes announced for 2026 do not affect those who have already retired, nor those who had already met all the requirements and were merely waiting for their request to be processed.
The focus is on insured individuals who are still active and depend on the transitional retirement rules through the INSS.
This includes workers who:
• Started contributing before the Pension Reform
• Have not yet reached the minimum points or the required minimum age
• Are close to retiring but do not meet all requirements by December 31, 2025
For this group, each turn of the year alters the calculation, as points increase and minimum age progresses.
Those who do not plan for their retirement through the INSS in advance may find that they need to work longer than initially expected.
How to Organize for Retirement Through the INSS with the New Requirements
Given the increase in points and minimum age, carefully monitoring the time of contribution and the exact age at each turn of the year becomes a central issue in planning.
In 2026, a small calculation error may delay retirement through the INSS by an entire year, depending on the rule used.
Therefore, it is essential that the insured:
• Check the total time of contribution already recognized by the INSS
• Verify which transitional rule is most likely to be met first
• Observe the date on which they will complete the new points or the new minimum age in 2026
Simulation tools and specialized support help in scenario planning.
The logic is simple and harsh: the further a person is from the new requirements, the higher the probability of remaining active for several years longer than initially planned.
Risk of Staying Active Longer
With the combination of higher points and elevated minimum age, 2026 marks another gradual tightening of the entry doors to retirement through the INSS.
For those who thought they could retire “just in time” in 2025 but failed to meet the requirements, the risk is real: it may be necessary to work more than initially expected.
This successive tightening is part of the logic of the Pension Reform, which designed transitional rules with increasing demands year after year.
Those in the middle need to understand that the clock works in both directions at the same time: each birthday helps with points and age, but also pushes the bar a bit higher when a new turn of the year with increased requirements arrives.
In light of this scenario, have you calculated which transitional rule your retirement through the INSS should follow first, or are you still risking working without knowing exactly how many more years you may need to stay active?
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