New regulations in Poland will safeguard supplemental pension payments—the 13th and 14th pensions—from debt collection as of 2026, but standard pensions have limits.
Supplemental Pension Protection in 2026
The 13th and 14th pensions provide seniors with additional funds to cover daily expenses. However, even these benefits can be subject to issues like execution or bank errors.
These additional annual cash benefits for retirees and pensioners have special legal protection. Regulations explicitly state that funds paid under these benefits are not subject to deductions or enforcement.
This means that neither a court bailiff nor an administrative enforcement body can seize these funds to cover outstanding debts. The protection covers the entire amount of the benefit, regardless of the amount of debt or the type of enforcement action.
What to Do If Your Pension Is Wrongfully Seized
Both the 13th and 14th pensions are subject to special legal protection, meaning they generally cannot be seized by a bailiff. However, individuals receiving benefits into a bank account may sometimes encounter problems.
Despite transfers for the 13th and 14th pensions being appropriately marked for banks to recognize them as exempt from enforcement, occasional errors can occur, resulting in their mistaken seizure.
Steps to Take After Wrongful Seizure
In such a situation, swift action is crucial. The first step should be to immediately inform the bailiff conducting the enforcement proceedings. If the seized amount has not yet been transferred to the creditor, the bailiff should return it to the debtor as soon as possible.
If there are problems recovering the funds, it is also possible to file a complaint against the bailiff’s actions or to request the president of the appropriate district court to supervise the case.
Bank Contact and Claim Filing
Simultaneously, the person whose funds were wrongly seized should contact the bank holding the account and file a claim. The financial institution is obligated to verify whether the transfer was incorrectly identified.
Once the matter is clarified, the unduly collected funds can be returned, as regulations clearly exclude both the 13th and 14th pensions from enforcement by a bailiff.
Pension Amounts and Payment Dates in 2026
In 2026, both the 13th and 14th pensions will be equivalent to the minimum pension amount, which is 1,978.49 zł gross. The 13th pension is paid automatically with the April pension or annuity, without the need to submit a separate application.
The 14th pension will be paid to seniors in the second half of the year, most likely in September.
14th Pension Eligibility and Calculation
The 14th pension works slightly differently. Full benefits are available to individuals whose pension or annuity does not exceed 2,900 zł gross. For higher benefits, a “złoty for złoty” principle applies, meaning the 14th pension is reduced by the amount exceeding the threshold.
For example, if a retiree receives a benefit of 3,200 zł gross, the excess is 300 zł, which means the 14th pension will be reduced to 1,678.49 zł gross.
Standard Pension Seizure Rules in 2026
Unlike the 13th and 14th pensions, the standard pension benefit is not fully protected from enforcement. In 2026, the key to enforcement lies in the regulations determining what type of debt is subject to collection and to what extent.
In the case of typical civil law obligations—such as unpaid loan installments, non-bank loans, or overdue utility bills—the bailiff operates within the law. The limit on deductions is a maximum of 25% of the gross pension, meaning the senior retains 75% of the benefit for daily expenses.
This solution is designed to protect the basic needs of pensioners and prevent excessive financial burden on the elderly.
Alimony and Public Debt Enforcement Priorities
The situation is different in the case of overdue alimony. Alimony debts have the highest priority in enforcement, so the bailiff can collect up to 60% of the pension. In practice, this means the retiree is left with only 40% of their monthly benefit for free use.
Separate categories exist for public law claims and criminal enforcement. This group includes, among others, fees for staying in social care homes, nursing homes, or care and nursing facilities. In such cases, the legislator has provided for the possibility of deducting a maximum of 50% of the pension.
Exemption Amounts in 2026
The legislator has also introduced exemption amounts, i.e., minimum benefit amounts that the bailiff cannot take, regardless of the type of debt. This ensures that seniors retain basic funds for living and daily needs, even if they have serious financial obligations.
As of March 1, 2026, in the case of enforcement for civil debts, the bailiff must leave the retiree an exemption amount of 1,401.57 zł (with the exception of alimony obligations, where regulations allow for higher deductions from pensions or annuities, and the exemption amount is much lower).
Pension Debt Statistics in Poland
Pensioners account for about 20% of Poland’s population—7.39 million people (GUS). Only 4% of them have debts, i.e., 271.5 thousand seniors, and their total arrears amount to over 5 billion zł, giving an average of 18.7 thousand zł per person (data from KRD).
