Is a self-employed individual (MEI) entitled to retirement benefits?

Knowing whether a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) is entitled to retirement benefits is very important for understanding more about this category.

MEI: understand the category

When we talk about MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur), many people immediately associate it with self-employment.

And indeed, this association makes sense, given that the MEI program It serves precisely to regulate and formalize most self-employed activities in Brazil.

In this way, those who decide or need to work independently are able to have their work recognized.

When opening a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur), the citizen receives a Own CNPJ, which guarantees him the title of micro-entrepreneur.

It's worth mentioning that there are rules for opening a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur), and these are related to:

Monthly income;
Activity performed;
Not having another company registered under the same CPF (Brazilian individual taxpayer registration number).

But, if everything is in order, the opening process is quite simple and can be done through your Gov.br account and... MEI Portal.

However, did you know that registering as a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) isn't just about formalizing self-employment?

That's because, by opening a micro-enterprise, the citizen gains certain rights.

But, is a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) entitled to retirement benefits? We'll see below!

DAS MEI: What is it? What are the amounts?

Unlike other categories, MEIs (Individual Microentrepreneurs) are exempt from most taxes applied to CNPJs (Brazilian company tax IDs).

Therefore, the only tax due is collected through the DAS form, which is a mandatory monthly contribution for the category.

This form corresponds to the charges related to INSS (Brazilian Social Security), ICMS (Brazilian Sales Tax), and ISS (Brazilian Service Tax).

The collection of ICMS and ISS depends on autonomous category chosen by MEI.

The INSS (Brazilian National Social Security Institute), on the other hand, applies equally to everyone and aims to collect funds for social security.

The DAS values are as follows:

Trade and Industry: R$ 66.10 (R$ 65.10 INSS + R$ 1.00 ICMS);
Services: R$ 70.10 (R$ 65.10 INSS + R$ 5.00 ISS;
Trade and Services: R$ 71.10 (R$ 65.10 INSS + R$ 1.00 ICMS + R$ 5.00 ISS);
Self-Employed Truck Driver (MEI): R$ 162.24 (R$ R$ 156.24 INSS + R$ 1.00 ICMS + R$ 5.00 ISS).

Therefore, it becomes easy to understand that the MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) is also a contributor to Social Security, just like... CLT workers and individual taxpayers.

Therefore, if one contributes, one is entitled to social security benefits.

So, if your question is whether a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) is entitled to retirement benefits, the answer is yes!

But be aware that being a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) does not guarantee retirement.

This is because, just like in other cases, the MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) also needs to meet the minimum contribution period.

Therefore, each DAS payment counts towards this period, which allows the MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) to retire, provided they meet the minimum required contribution period.

This means that if the company closes and the DAS (Simplified Tax Collection System) stops being paid, this contribution is interrupted, and the time counted is also stopped, until the citizen resumes contributing.

Therefore, it's worth highlighting that yes, MEIs (Individual Microentrepreneurs) are entitled to retirement benefits, provided they meet the minimum required contribution!

Is a self-employed individual (MEI) entitled to retirement benefits?

In the previous topic, we already explained the question of whether a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) is entitled to retirement benefits.

And, as we have seen, this right exists, and it is granted through the monthly payment of the DAS form.

This is because part of the amount on the payment slip corresponds to the INSS (Brazilian Social Security Institute) contribution.

Therefore, if CLT (Consolidation of Labor Laws) workers are entitled to retirement benefits due to their contributions, the same applies to MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur).

But, contrary to what many believe, the MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) is not only entitled to retirement based on years of contribution.

That's because, by becoming a INSS contributor You will then have access to all the services offered by Social Security.

And, as is well known, Social Security also grants disability retirement benefits.

Therefore, it is important to understand the differences between the types of retirement.

Retirement due to age is when a citizen has reached the minimum age to retire.

This age is currently considered to be 65 years for men and 62 years for women.

It's worth mentioning that for age-based retirement, it's necessary to combine age with the minimum contribution period.

Disability retirement, on the other hand, is when the contributor proves some issue that prevents them from performing work activities.

For disability retirement, there is no minimum age or full contribution period requirement.

However, proof of eligibility is required to access the benefit, and it may be suspended if the rules are violated.

In any case, it's worth mentioning that in both instances, the MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) may be eligible.

Therefore, formalizing your self-employment activity also serves to guarantee your social security rights.

Self-employed individuals (MEI) are entitled to retirement benefits, but what about other benefits?

Throughout this article, we've come to understand that opening a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) goes far beyond simply formalizing self-employment.

This is because, when opening a CNPJ (Brazilian company registration number), the citizen also acquires certain rights by virtue of paying the DAS (Simplified Tax Collection Document).

We have seen that these rights are related to social security, since contributions to the INSS (Brazilian National Institute of Social Security) provide access to Social Security.

But is a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) only entitled to retirement benefits, or are there other rights included?

Yes, and these are them:

Sickness benefit

THE Sickness benefit It is a temporary social security benefit paid to contributors who need to take time off from work due to illness.

In this case, with the situation duly proven, the INSS (Brazilian National Social Security Institute) releases a monthly amount for a period of time so that the contributor can support themselves.

If a self-employed individual (MEI) can prove they have an illness that prevents them from carrying out their independent activities, they can apply for this assistance!

Prisoner's allowance

Prisoner's allowance is paid to the family of taxpayers who are deprived of their liberty due to a court conviction.

This means that if the self-employed individual (MEI) is arrested, their family will receive assistance during that period.

Maternity pay

THE maternity pay It is a benefit paid to mothers during pregnancy and postpartum, if they are unemployed.

The idea is to offer a minimum income at this time, guaranteeing minimum conditions for the mother and child(ren).

Women who have a registered MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) can also apply for this benefit.

Survivor's pension

Finally, the last right that a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) has is the survivor's pension.

This is a benefit paid to family members in cases where the contributor dies.

The benefit may be temporary or lifelong, depending on the case and the assessment performed.

So, after learning that MEIs (Individual Microentrepreneurs) are entitled to retirement benefits and much more, don't forget to formalize your business to be eligible as well!

Life and Finance

Roberta

August 19, 2023