INSS Pays the 13th Installment Early to Retirees and Pensioners in 2026

This page is a translation of the original Portuguese text, provided for convenience. It deals with Brazilian law. If there is any discrepancy, the Portuguese version prevails. Read the original in Portuguese

The INSS (Brazil’s National Social Security Institute) began paying the early “13th salary” (décimo terceiro, a yearly bonus equal to one extra monthly payment) to retirees, pensioners and other beneficiaries in April 2026. The first installment went first to people who receive one minimum wage, and payments follow a staggered schedule based on the final digit of each benefit number.

How the 2026 Payment Schedule Works

In April 2026, the National Social Security Institute started releasing the early 13th salary to about 35,2 million retirees, pensioners and insured workers who receive benefits. The measure puts roughly R$ 78,2 billion into the economy. Payments follow a schedule set by the final digit of the beneficiary’s registration number, the NIS (Social Identification Number), combined with each beneficiary’s income bracket.

The payment is split into two installments. The first runs from April to early May. The second is paid between late May and early June. This is the seventh year in a row that the extra benefit has been deposited ahead of the traditional dates, which historically fell in August and December.

Staggering payments by final digit is meant to prevent a rush of withdrawals and spread the payments over several dates. For that reason, two beneficiaries who receive the same amount may be paid on different days, depending on the last digit of their benefit card. You should check your own schedule before planning any financial commitments, since the date given when your benefit was granted is the most reliable reference.

Who Gets Paid First, and in How Many Installments

The first to be paid are insured persons who receive one minimum wage, set at R$ 1.621 for 2026. This group makes up most beneficiaries: about 23,3 million people, or roughly 66,2 percent of the total.

Beneficiaries who receive more than the national minimum, about 11,9 million people, start receiving the early payment next, on a later date than those who earn the minimum. Among those with higher benefits, a small share receives the Social Security ceiling, currently R$ 8.475,55.

As a rule, most people receive half of their 13th salary in the first installment. The exception is anyone who began receiving a benefit after January. In that case, the amount is prorated according to how long the benefit has been paid during the year.

Insured persons receiving the temporary disability benefit, formerly called auxílio-doença (sickness benefit), are also entitled to a portion of the 13th salary, in proportion to how long the benefit lasted during the reference period. The same proration rule applies to benefits granted during the year, so the calculation is based on the number of months in which payments were made.

This is the seventh year in a row that the extra benefit has been deposited ahead of the traditional dates, which historically fell in August and December.

Who Is Entitled and How to Check Your Amount

Not everyone served by the INSS is entitled to the 13th salary. By law, people who receive welfare benefits, such as the BPC (Benefício de Prestação Continuada, a monthly cash benefit for low-income elderly and disabled people) and the Renda Mensal Vitalícia (a lifetime monthly income benefit), do not receive the extra payment, because these benefits are welfare-based rather than contribution-based.

You can check whether your payment has been released through the Meu INSS app (the INSS online service platform), available for phones and tablets, or online at gov.br/meuinss. If you don’t have digital access, you can get the information by calling the Call Center at 135, providing your CPF (Brazilian individual taxpayer ID) number and confirming your personal details.

Phone service is available Monday through Saturday, between the hours of 7 and 22. Keep track of the official schedule by your benefit’s final digit, because the exact payment date varies from one insured person to another depending on income and NIS. In the app, your payment statement shows the amount of each installment and the expected date, which helps you confirm that your payment is following the schedule announced for your bracket.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the early INSS 13th salary payment begin in 2026?

The first installment started in April 2026, beginning with people who receive one minimum wage. Beneficiaries with higher incomes are paid on a later date. The second installment is deposited between late May and early June, always according to the final digit of the benefit number.

Who is not entitled to the 13th salary paid by the INSS?

People who receive welfare benefits, such as the Benefício de Prestação Continuada and the Renda Mensal Vitalícia, do not receive the 13th salary. These benefits are welfare-based and do not trigger the annual bonus provided for social security retirement benefits and pensions.

How can an insured person check the payment date and amount?

You can check through the Meu INSS app or at gov.br/meuinss by logging in to your gov.br account. If you don’t have internet access, you can call the 135 Call Center, Monday through Saturday, between the hours of 7 and 22. To get the information, you will need to provide your CPF number and confirm your personal details.

As informações deste artigo são de caráter informativo e não substituem consulta jurídica individualizada. Cada caso possui particularidades que exigem análise específica.