The five reasons why you could lose your IMSS pension rights

If you retire in Mexico, your monthly pension payment from the Mexican Social Security Institute may be reduced under certain circumstances.

The five reasons why you could lose your IMSS pension rights
Here are the five reasons why you can end up having your IMSS pension rights taken away. Photo by James Hose Jr / Unsplash

After many years of work, what every worker expects is a good pension to retire, however, not everything is rosy when it comes to this issue. At the time of retirement, certain scenarios can reduce your pension payment from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). Here are some reasons why you could lose your right to your IMSS pension.

Why could your IMSS pension be taken away?

As a worker who contributes to the IMSS and most likely, you will be looking for a good pension to enjoy your retirement. However, there are certain reasons why the social security institute may deny you the right to your pension:

You do not comply with the weeks contributed.

This is a very common reason among workers who will soon turn 60 and should have at least 775 weeks of contributions requested by the IMSS in 2022. So if you have contributed less than the equivalent of 14.8 years, you will have to wait longer. Don't forget that every year they increase 25 weeks to reach the limit of 1,000 weeks of contributions in 2031, or 19.2 years of formal work.

Not having your rights in force

Not being in force in your rights is another common reason for ceasing to contribute to the IMSS. In this situation, a grace period equivalent to one-fourth of the weeks contributed is granted. This means that if you contributed for 1,000 weeks, you have up to 250 weeks to apply for your pension. The greater the number of weeks, the longer you keep your rights, and vice versa, the fewer weeks, the less time you have to keep your rights.

Dying in active service without minimum weeks

You can also lose the right to apply for the pension if the worker dies before completing the 150 weeks of contributions, which will directly affect his or her partner because the widow's pension is canceled. Unless the death is due to an occupational hazard, there is no minimum number of weeks required.

Working again without notifying the IMSS

It is not impossible to go back to work and be pensioned, you must comply with rules to avoid risking your pension, such as waiting six months from your pension to work again, earning less than 50% of your last salary, and not occupying the same job position.

Not achieving the minimum disability pension

If the worker suffers a disability that is not generated by his or her work activity, at least 250 weeks of contributions must be made as of the date of the medical report, but this may depend on the worker's conditions. In any case, it is preferable to have contributed at least 4.8 years.

This avoids situations that could cause you to lose your IMSS pension rights and allows you to take into account other alternatives to complement your retirement, such as, for example, personal retirement plans.