Assistance Office
E-mail: assistenza.losangeles@esteri.it
We remind you that for all matters regarding pension, you can ask for assistance also from to the Patronato Office in the US.
Assistance office gives information about Italian pension system and issues Existence of Life Certificate for who receive the pension yet.
1. OLD-AGE PENSION: In accordance with Law n. 335/95, workers have the right to apply for an Italian old-age pension if they have made pension contributions for at least 20 years and are over 65, if male, or over 60, if female.
2. RETIREMENT PENSION: In accordance with Law n. 335/95, workers are entitled to a retirement pension if they are over 57 and have made pension contributions for at least 35 years or, alternatively, for at least 40 years, regardless of their age.
3. ORDINARY DISABILITY BENEFIT: A worker is entitled to this benefit when his/her ability to work in his/her profession or similar has been permanently reduced to less than 1/3 due to a disability or to a physical or mental deficiency. To qualify the worker must have made a minimum of 5 years of pensions contributions, at least 3 of which must have been made in the 5 years prior to the claim.
The pension is granted for a 3 year period and may be extended for additional 3 year periods upon request and following a review by INPS (Italian pension office). After 3 consecutive approvals, the pension is confirmed indefinitely.
This type of benefit cannot be transferred to the survivors of the beneficiary.
4. ORDINARY DISABILITY PENSION: This type of pension is given to insured workers who are not able to work in any capacity due to a disability or to a physical or mental deficiency. To claim this pension, the worker must have a minimum of 5 years of compensation insurance and pension contributions, at least 3 of which must have been paid in the 5 years prior to the application. The pension consists of a disability cheque plus an amount which is calculated on the basis of the contributions that the employee would have accrued if he/she had been able to carry on working until retirement age.
5. SURVIVOR BENEFITS: Relatives of the deceased worker have the right to claim this benefit. It is called “pensione di reversibilità” (survivor benefit) if the deceased worker was the beneficiary of a direct pension or “pensione indiretta” (indirect pension) if the deceased worker was not the beneficiary of a direct pension, but at the time of death he/she met the compensation insurance and contribution requirements necessary to obtain an ordinary disability benefit or disability pension. The family members who are entitled to this type of pension are:
– the spouse and the children who are under 18 years of age, students or disabled at the time of death of the worker;
– the parents who, at the time of the worker’s death, are over 65 years of age, do not receive a pension benefit and were financially dependent on the deceased;
– if there is neither a spouse nor any children, parents or unmarried brothers and sisters who, at the time of the worker’s death, are considered disabled, are not receiving any other survivor benefits or indirect pension and were financially dependent on the deceased.
6. SOCIAL PENSION: It is granted to Italian citizens who are over 65 years of age, reside in Italy, have no insurance coverage and whose income, including that of the spouse, is lower than the minimum income set by law.
For general information please consult the following link of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (text only in Italian)