The dream of a pension of PLN 7,000 per period for many Poles becomes a goal, but the financial reality is ruthless. The latest expert calculations, based on ZUS data, show how gigantic wages must be achieved over decades to guarantee specified a future. For the current 40-year-old, this means having to gain PLN 14.5 1000 gross per period for the remainder of the career. In the case of women of the same age, the bar is suspended even higher – we mention to an amount exceeding PLN 22 thousand. These figures violently exposure the fact about the Polish pension system, which straight punishes for sex, longer life and career breaks.
The contrast between dreams and reality is huge. While in March 2025 more than 622 1000 seniors charged over PLN 7,000, which represents a spectacular increase of 140% in 2 years, the average pension in Poland barely exceeds PLN 4000 gross. This means that for the average Kowalski the scope of the 7000 PLN ceiling is bordered by a miracle and requires earnings placed in the absolute national top. The analyses below show who truly has a chance to quit and why it will stay in the dream sphere for most.
Pension math is ruthless. That's all you gotta earn.
The Polish pension strategy is based on simple but painful mathematics. In order for a man who is 40 years old to be able to number on a gross benefit of PLN 7,000 in 25 years, he must gain at least PLN 7,000 throughout this period. 14.5 1000 PLN gross per month. As calculated by the Finance portal.wp.pl, this is the amount corresponding to 165% of the average wage in the country. This means keeping very advanced incomes for a 4th of a century without major breaks in employment.
Although this seems unrealistic, a group of people who do so is growing. According to the data of ZUS, quoted by the portal Infor.pl, in March 2025 a pension exceeding PLN 7000 gross already collected 622.7 1000 seniors. This is simply a immense leap compared to March 2023, erstwhile specified people were only 258,8 thousand. This increase by more than 140% in 2 years shows that a group of wealthy pensioners is growing, but inactive constitutes an elite against the background of millions of Poles receiving importantly lower benefits.
Women request a CEO's salary. sex punishment system
The situation of women is dramatically worse. The same calculations show that a 40-year-old woman, dreaming of a pension of PLN 7,000, must gain for the remainder of her professional career until 22 1000 PLN gross per month. That's over $75,000 more than a man in the same situation. Worse still, even with specified astronomical earnings, its final benefit will be only about PLN 6520. This difference is due to the fundamental assumptions of the system.
As Iwona Kowalska, the ZUS spokesperson, explains in Rp.pl, the causes are complex. "The differences in pensions for women and men are not only due to the fact that women work less, gain little and live statistically longer than men, but usually for part of their lives they are on vacations related to kid rearing," the expert explains. The key is the formula: the capital raised is divided by the projected life expectancy in months. As women live statistically longer, their capital must last for more months, which automatically reduces the monthly benefit. As a result, the average pension of men is PLN 4103 and women only PLN 2793.
How about $6,000? It's besides an unreal dream for millions
Lowering expectations doesn't aid much. The Money.pl portal reduces optimism, showing that even the mark in the form of PLN 6000 pension is beyond the scope of most. A man would gotta gain about PLN 12 1000 gross A month. A female needs a wage at the level to scope the same ceiling 20 1000 PLN gross – these are the salaries reserved for a narrow group of specialists and managers.
These calculations become even more depressing for younger generations. Today's 30-year-olds who want to have a pension exceeding PLN 5000 per period must already gain from PLN 6200 (men) to PLN 9800 (women). These amounts contrast sharply with reality. According to Forsal.pl, after valorization in 2025 the average pension in Poland increased to just PLN 4009 gross. This shows how immense the gap is between reality and dreams of financial safety for old age.
Elite retirement club and alarming statistics
On the 1 hand, we have millions of Poles with low benefits and on the another hand a narrow elite. MyCompanyPolska.pl portal reveals alarming data: until 37.6% of women in Poland receive a pension not exceeding PLN 2600 gross. Only 12.6% of women can number on a benefit over PLN 5000. This disproportion translates into an yearly income difference between the sexes in retirement of over PLN 17 500.
In contrast, Infor.pl reports that in the spring of 2025 the 2 highest pensions paid by ZUS oscillated around PLN 51 1000 gross per month. Recorders are men who worked over 60 years, continuing to work long after reaching the statutory retirement age. This shows that the only way to radically rise the benefits in the current strategy is by highly long professional activity. Each additional year of work importantly increases the capital raised and shortens the estimated dimension of retirement, which induces its amount.
What's next with the system? Experts indicate only hope
Experts are on alert. Poland, alongside Romania, has the lowest retirement age for women throughout Europe. Maintaining this state of affairs, combined with demography, threatens to break the system. Many experts believe that the announcement of a plan to equalize the retirement age of women and men by 2026 at the latest is inevitable to save public finances.
In the face of specified gloomy predictions, the only real hope for dignified old age becomes additional saving. UNIQA.pl recalls the instruments of the 3rd pillar, specified as Individual Pension Accounts (IKE), Individual Pension Insurance Accounts (IKZE) and worker Capital Plans (PPK). These are the only tools that let to build private capital for the future, independent of the condition of ZUS. Without self-concerning about finance, the dream of a 7,000 PLN pension will stay for 99% of Poles only a statistic from press articles.
More here:
You want a 7,000-dollar pension? ZUS gave the calculations. These amounts are going to knock you off your feet.
