How can a pensioner receive 30,000 rubles for Soviet-era service in 2025 — even if the records have been lost

      dzen.ru

      In 2025, updated rules for recalculating pensions came into force concerning citizens who worked before 1991. This is especially important for those pensioners whose Soviet employment record was for some reason not taken into account when their pension was previously assigned. According to the new procedure, citizens can claim a one-time payment, which can range from 5,000 to 30,000 rubles. Even in the absence of an employment record book, it is possible to confirm the work experience and receive the owed funds.

      Who is entitled to additional payments for work in the USSR

      The new social support measure applies to those pensioners who:

      — had at least one year of employment during the Soviet period, that is, before 1991

      — did not receive a recalculation earlier or years of work in the USSR were not credited to them

      — are willing to provide confirmation of employment, even if they do not have an employment record book

      It should be remembered that the calculation is made only after submitting an application. The recalculation is not done automatically.

      Confirming work experience without an employment record book: how it works

      In cases where documents are lost or not preserved, current legislation allows confirming Soviet work experience through alternative sources. The most commonly used methods are:

      — certificates from archives, if the enterprise still exists or the documents were transferred for storage

      — witness statements from at least two people who worked with the applicant

      — military ID or documents about studies at institutions of the USSR (study at that time was equated with work experience)

      — extracts from house registers if work was carried out in agriculture, especially in kolkhozes and sovkhozes

      Any of these grounds can be used to include Soviet work experience in the pension calculation.

      Procedure: how to submit an application for recalculation

      To receive the payment, you need to complete several steps:

      Collect evidence of having work experience before 1991

      Prepare an application in the prescribed form to the Pension Fund

      Submit the documents personally, through an MFC (multifunctional center) or online via the Gosuslugi portal

      Wait for the decision — the standard review period is up to 30 days

      The text of the application may be formatted as follows:

      To the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation

      From [Full Name], residing at: [address]

      I request a recalculation of my pension amount, taking into account the Soviet employment record accumulated before 1991. Attached to the application are documents confirming the fact of employment, a copy of my passport and SNILS.

      Date, signature

      What amounts can be received: what the payment size depends on

      The payment amount is directly related to the number of years of employment confirmed in the application. The calculation is carried out according to the following scheme:

      — 1–5 years of employment — approximately 5,000 rubles

      — from 10 years and above — up to 30,000 rubles

      Example: with 12 years of confirmed Soviet work experience, the amount may be about 24,000 rubles, based on a base estimate of 2,000 rubles per year. At maximum values the payment reaches 30,000 rubles, however the final amount may vary depending on the region and other factors.

      Reasons for refusal of recalculation and how to avoid them

      There are several grounds on which the Pension Fund may refuse recalculation:

      — the experience was taken into account earlier when assigning the pension (especially relevant for those whose pension was arranged after 2002)

      — there are no reliable supporting documents or testimonies

      — the application is filled out with errors, inaccuracies or submitted with an incomplete package of documents

      If the recalculation was denied, the pensioner has the right to appeal the decision by going to court. In some cases a positive decision can be obtained when resubmitting the application with additional materials.

      How to speed up the application review

      To speed up the process of receiving the payment, you can follow several recommendations:

      — it is preferable to submit documents through an MFC: there the queues are smaller and processing is faster

      — it is permissible to indicate a request for expedited review in the application

      — after submission, track the status of the application through your personal account on the PFR website

      Deadlines for submission and important nuances

      You can submit an application for recalculation of the pension taking into account Soviet work experience until December 31, 2025. After this date the program may be completed or revised. Therefore it is recommended not to delay filing and to prepare all necessary documents in advance.

      Conclusion

      Recalculation of the pension taking into account Soviet employment is an opportunity for elderly citizens to restore fairness in the calculation of payments. Even in the absence of primary documentation, there are legal ways to confirm work experience and receive an additional payment. The main thing is to take the initiative and use the available tools. The support is designed for those whose work during the Soviet era has still not been properly valued.

      Azalia Urazbayeva

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