e-EFKA: Within two months the issuance of a pension by certified accountants and lawyers

From November 15, the insured, who wish to submit a retirement application to the Electronic National Social Security Agency (e-EFKA), can use the 333 accountants and lawyers, who, after training and examinations, managed and certified for the issuance of pensions.

According to e-EFKA, “most of them are experienced and fully trained professionals, who, after an extremely difficult examination by the services of the Organization, managed to be certified and included in the award process” and points out:

“In fact, the assignment to a certified accountant and lawyer is considered the most advantageous for the insured, as the pension is issued within two months from the date of submission of the request, while the average time of issuance of a pension by EFKA services today is 6- 8 months.

This measure is part of a comprehensive package of measures that the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the administration of e-EFKA have been implementing in recent months, with the aim of permanently eliminating the stock of outstanding pensions.

According to the latest data from the “ATLAS” report, overdue main pensions amount to 83,000 in November, reduced by 50,000 compared to 12 months ago. At the same time, the rates of granting new pensions increased by 82% compared to 2019, while in total for 2021 the Organization recorded a record of issuing new pensions, reaching 225,000. With the contribution of the certified, the complete liquidation of the overdue main pensions is expected, by next June.

The number of certified accountants and lawyers currently stands at 333 and is expected to increase in the next period, as the start of the 3rd training cycle is imminent. “By the end of January, the platform for the submission of new applications by accountants and lawyers who did not apply for participation in the first three certification cycles is expected to open”.

Through seven useful questions and answers, e-EFKA provides a clearer picture of how an insured can use certified accountants and lawyers, who bears the costs and if it concerns specific categories of insured.

1) For which categories of pensions is it possible to select certified professionals?

In the first phase, it concerns new retirement applications submitted by the insured coming from the former IKA, OGA and OAEE Funds, which correspond to approximately 75% of the total retirement applications submitted each month.

At present, it does not concern cases of successive insurance, parallel insurance, optional insurance, as well as residence abroad or cases of insurance in a foreign institution. These pension categories are expected to be activated in 2022.

Within 2022, the certified will also undertake supplementary pensions.

2) How is the selection of certified professionals done?

Anyone wishing to submit a retirement application, must submit it exclusively electronically, will enter the website of EFKA (www.efka.gov.gr), in the option: Electronic Service for Submission of Retirement Application (https://www.efka.gov.gr / el / syntaxioychoi / aitisi). If he belongs to the above-mentioned categories of pensioners with a former Fund (formerly IKA, formerly OGA or formerly OAEE), the possibility of choosing a certified accountant and a lawyer is activated.

From the list of certified professionals that appears, the insured has the opportunity to choose whoever he wishes, regardless of his place of residence, provided that the professional in question can be available, ie has not exceeded the maximum number of cases undertakes within the month and amount to five.

Once he has made his choice, he sets the date and time to make an appointment with the certified professional.

Then, as soon as the appointment is validated, he will receive an e-mail that his case has been assigned to the certified professional of his choice and that the appointment he has chosen when submitting the online retirement application is valid.

3) What procedure is followed, after the selection of the certified professional?

In a short time, the certified professional drafts the retirement decision.

In case it is not ratified by EFKA within a month, then the pension will be paid based on the draft decision submitted by the certified.

More than 350 draft retirement decisions have already been submitted in just a few weeks and the first pensions are expected to be issued by the end of the month.

4) How am I informed about the progress of my retirement case?

The information of the insured by the certified is immediate in every phase of the processing. However, within the system it appears that a draft decision has been submitted by the certified professional, who, after forwarding the draft decision, awaits the control by EFKA, which must be done within a certain time limit, which can not exceed month.

5) Is there a possibility that the retirement decision issued by the certified professional is not correct?

The certified professional is individually responsible for any negligence or omissions that may occur, based on the legal framework set for certification. Specifically, if in the future, after an audit, the decision turns out to be wrong or with deceit, the certified person will be fined 10,000 euros.

At the same time, monthly checks are carried out by the services of EFKA, to determine if the pensions are issued correctly.

Both the training and the exams for the certification of professionals during the two cycles of training and certification were of increased difficulty, as evidenced by the final number of successful candidates. This was done to ensure as much as possible that the certified will be able to meet the requirements of the project, as the award of pensions is a complex process that requires high skills and knowledge. In this way, the award system is strengthened with the involvement of the best accountants and lawyers.

6) How long is the pension finally awarded by the certified professionals? Does it take less time?

The certified professional has the ability to process a retirement case in just two months. The average time of issuance of a pension by the services of EFKA today ranges from 6 to 8 months.

7) Do I pay any amount for the services of certified professionals?

The issuance of a pension by certified professionals of EFKA is free for the insured who wish to submit a retirement application. Certified accountants and lawyers are paid directly by EFKA at the amount of 250 euros per pension file.

Source: AMPE