Inheriting a pension from your parents? Is there a chance that such a breakthrough solution will appear in the Polish social insurance system? However, this is not about an automatic pension inheritance. The new regulations could cover only a specific group: the children of outstanding athletes who received the so-called Olympic pension during their lifetime, which was awarded for winning a gold medal in the Games.
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Inheriting a pension from parents is not for everyone
Table of Contents
- Inheriting a pension from parents is not for everyone
- What kind of money are we talking about?
- Will there be a change in regulations?
- Will the state budget support it?
- When will the new solution come into force?
- Is this the beginning of a larger reform?
- Social debate for and against
- Historic change with limited scope
There is going to be a revolution in regulations. Children are to inherit their parents’ pension. This ground-breaking solution, previously absent from the Polish social security system, does not mean, however, an automatic “retirement inheritance”. The new legal solutions will only cover a specific group. These are the children of outstanding athletes who received the so-called Olympic pension during their lifetime, which was awarded for winning a gold medal in the Games.
How is it now? After the death of Olympic medalists, the benefit expires and the family can no longer benefit from this financial support. According to the amendment prepared by the Ministry of Sport, children of deceased athletes could inherit the benefit in its full amount.
What kind of money are we talking about?
The Olympic pension in 2025 amounted to PLN 4,967.95 gross per month. From January of the new year, its amount increases to 5,000. PLN 116 and 99 groszy per month.
The benefit amount is based on the base amount for civil service members multiplied by a factor of 1.8. This means that the amount of the Olympic pension changes as the base amount is updated.
Importantly, you do not have to pay income tax or social security and health insurance contributions, which means that those who receive it receive the full amount. Currently, nearly six hundred athletes are covered by the benefit. These are medalists of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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Will there be a change in regulations?
Will there be a revolution in regulations after the benefit increase in 2026? According to the draft law prepared by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, children of deceased athletes could inherit the benefit in full amount.
So far, it is unclear whether the benefit would be transferred to children automatically or whether it would require meeting additional conditions. These include issues of minorhood or a specific financial situation. Moreover, the introduction of new regulations may have a significant impact on the state budget and also means specific changes in the way the pension system is financed.
Will the state budget support it?
Inheriting Olympic pensions is a real financial burden. With the average benefit reaching almost PLN 5,000 a month, one new beneficiary means an expenditure of almost PLN 60,000 a year – calculated superbiz.se.pl.
If, for example, 200 children of deceased medalists took advantage of the new regulations, the annual cost would amount to approximately PLN 12 million. Although this amount may be impressive, in the scale of the entire state budget it is relatively small.
Supporters of the project emphasize that this is a justified expense. In their opinion, it is a form of social justice and a symbolic honoring of the families of athletes who have represented Poland on the international arena for years.
When will the new solution come into force?
The bill has been prepared. The Council of Ministers was to deal with the document in the second quarter of 2025. The final decision on this matter has not been announced yet. As superbiz.pl wrote, in the most optimistic scenario, the new regulations could enter into force in 2026, provided they obtain political support.
Is this the beginning of a larger reform?
Experts point out that the introduction of inheritance of Olympic pensions may become a precedent for the entire social security system. Questions arise about whether it will be possible to inherit other benefits in the future and whether this is the first step towards a broader reform of the pension system. The reaction of other professional groups that may demand similar solutions is also important.
Opinions about the project are divided. As superbiz.se.pl pointed out, supporters of the changes emphasize their special dimension. “This is symbolic support for the families of our sports heroes,” they argue.
Critics, in turn, point to the risk of creating further exceptions in the system and ask: “Why only athletes? What about other groups who have made outstanding contributions to the country?”
Historic change with limited scope
The Olympic pension inheritance project is an unprecedented change in Polish law. For the first time in history, there is a real possibility for children to inherit their parents’ pensions. Although the solution applies to a narrow group of beneficiaries, it may become an impulse for further changes.
