As of this Wednesday, the Social Security introduces a solidarity quota aimed at salaries that exceed the maximum contribution base, which in 2025 will be 4,909 euros per month (58,908 euros per year), after being revalued by 4% with respect to 2024. This measure, together with the increase in the Intergenerational Equity Mechanism (MEI), is part of the pension reform designed to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the system. The solidarity quota, applied progressively, involves an additional contribution on the part of the salary that exceeds the maximum base. In 2025, the contribution brackets will be 0.92% for excesses up to 10%, 1% for the bracket between 10% and 50%, and 1.17% for excesses above 50%. For example, a salary of 5,400 euros per month (10% higher than the maximum base) will pay 4.5 euros more per month, while a salary of 7,363.5 euros (50% higher) will have an additional contribution of 24.13 euros per month. This contribution does not generate rights to a higher pension and only affects salaried workers, excluding the self-employed.
MEI increase in 2025
In addition, the MEI rises from 0.7% to 0.8%, distributed between employers(0.67%) and workers(0.13%). This mechanism, which seeks to increase the ‘pension fund’, will continue to increase until it reaches 1.2% in 2029.
Long-term impact
The solidarity quota will reach its full deployment in 2045, with rates of 5.5%, 6% and 7% for each bracket. These measures, together with the increase in the maximum contribution bases, are intended to strengthen the system’s income in a context of high financial pressure resulting from the aging of the population and the retirement of the baby boom generation.
