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Social Security Deficit Expected to Double by 2060, Warns Brazilian Government

Written by Bruno Teles
Published on 13/05/2023 at 12:46
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The Brazilian Government Estimates That The Social Security Deficit Could Double By 2060, According To The 2024 Budget Guidelines Law Proposal Sent In April.

The deficit of the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) is expected to more than double by 2060 and quadruple by 2100, rising from R$ 276.9 billion in 2023 to R$ 3.3 trillion in 2060 and R$ 25.22 trillion by 2100. Spending on pension benefits will increase due to the country’s aging population, which is expected to become more pronounced in the coming decades. Without effective measures to reverse this trend, the deficit could be even larger than estimated, according to experts consulted by g1.

The demographic shift in the country is the main reason for the increase in Pension spending. As the proportion of elderly people in the population increases, so will the expenses associated with benefit payments, which need to be higher than the minimum wage. On the other hand, revenue has been negatively affected by unemployment, informality, and low wages, reducing contributions to the pension system.

Despite The Social Security Reform In 2019, Which Established A Minimum Retirement Age And Minimum Contribution Time, Among Other Measures, The Fiscal Situation Of The Pension System Remains Challenging.

The 2019 reform, which may have reduced the social security deficit by R$ 156.1 billion between 2020 and 2022, is still considered insufficient to address the increase in future expenses. According To Paulo Tafner, A Social Security Specialist At The Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea), There Is Still Much To Be Done To Make The Brazilian Pension System More Sustainable.

Tafner suggests that changes include equalizing the minimum retirement age between men and women, increasing the minimum retirement age for both genders, changes to rural retirement, changes to the rules of the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC), and a layer of mandatory capitalization in the General Regime. Experts assess that the different criteria for granting retirements among different categories of workers are one of the main factors contributing to the fiscal imbalance of the Pension System.

Leonardo Rolim, Budget Consultant for The Chamber Of Deputies, Also Anticipates The Need For A New Social Security Reform In The Next Decade

He suggests that the new reform should also address the differentiation between the retirement age for urban and rural workers, in addition to measures to integrate the BPC with Social Security.

To reduce the impact of pension expenditures on public accounts, it is necessary to discuss not only the social security reform, but also other fiscal adjustment measures that increase government revenue, such as tax reform and reducing public spending in non-priority areas. In addition, it is necessary to seek innovative solutions that enhance the efficiency of the pension system, such as the adoption of digital technologies that facilitate the identification and payment of pension benefits.

Addressing the long-term fiscal challenge of Social Security requires political courage and a forward-looking vision from policymakers. It is necessary to discuss measures that ensure the sustainability of the pension system, without disregarding the importance of protecting the most vulnerable workers and guaranteeing a social safety net for the poorest population.

Bruno Teles

Falo sobre tecnologia, inovação, petróleo e gás. Atualizo diariamente sobre oportunidades no mercado brasileiro. Com mais de 7.000 artigos publicados nos sites CPG, Naval Porto Estaleiro, Mineração Brasil e Obras Construção Civil. Sugestão de pauta? Manda no brunotelesredator@gmail.com

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