讀後心得

Taiwan has entered a super-aged society, accompanied by a wave of retirements. The pensions for workers mainly come from "Labor Insurance Old Age Benefits" and "Labor Retirement Fund." If retirees wish to re-enter the workforce, they can apply for "Continued Retirement Benefits," with no age limit, allowing workers to receive both a salary and retirement benefits simultaneously. Continued Retirement Benefits can be withdrawn once a year, averaging about 66,000 NT dollars, and if not applied for in the past 10 years, they cannot be claimed. Workers can apply through an online system or via paper forms, and can open a special financial account to protect their retirement funds from being seized.

As Taiwan enters a super-aged society and faces a wave of retirements, many labor friends can receive their pensions mainly from "Labor Insurance Old-age Benefits" and "Labor Pension." However, what many people do not realize is that after retirement, they can still apply for "Continued Pension Withdrawal" if they return to work. This program can be applied alongside labor insurance and labor pensions, and there are no age restrictions, allowing the advantage of receiving a salary while also receiving a pension.

Labor friends who return to work after retirement can apply for "Continued Pension Withdrawal" without any age limit. This measure allows workers who have worked hard for decades to continue enjoying their livelihood security. According to the current labor insurance system, pensions can be received from "Labor Insurance Old-age Benefits" and "Labor Pension," however, many workers may choose to re-enter the workforce due to living needs or personal wishes. At this point, how do they manage their pension?

• Once workers turn 60, if they apply for both Labor Insurance Old-age Benefits and Labor Pension while remaining employed, employers are required to contribute 6% of the salary monthly to the workers' individual retirement accounts, and this part of the working years needs to be recalculated. Workers can also apply for "Continued Pension Withdrawal," and there are no age restrictions.
• Workers can only claim "Continued Pension Withdrawal" once a year, meaning that two pension withdrawals must be at least one year apart. For example, if Mr. Wang receives his pension on January 15, 2024, he must wait until January 15, 2025, to apply for "Continued Pension Withdrawal" again. According to the data from the Labor Insurance Bureau, in 2023, the average amount that each worker could receive as Continued Pension Withdrawal was approximately NT$66,218 per year, indicating that many senior citizens are still working in the workforce and benefiting from this policy.

The target applicants for "Continued Pension Withdrawal" are those who are 60 years old and continue working after receiving their pension. There are various application methods:

• Online application: Use a Citizen Digital Certificate (a card reader is required) to enter the Labor Insurance Bureau's electronic service system and select "Retirement/Labor Pension Application."
• Add Labor Insurance Bureau as a LINE friend: Search for "@bligovtw" or the official account "Labor Ministry Labor Insurance Bureau," and after verification, you can be linked to the Labor Insurance Bureau's electronic service system.
• Paper application: Fill out the "Labor Pension Application and Receipt," and send it to the Labor Insurance Bureau for processing.
• In-person application: Fill out the "Labor Pension Application and Receipt," and personally submit it to the Labor Insurance Bureau.

It should be noted that if "Continued Pension Withdrawal" is not applied for more than 10 years after the eligible date (age 60), then the right to claim will no longer be available. Additionally, if pensions are seized due to debt issues when deposited into a bank account, workers can apply to the Labor Insurance Bureau for a financial special account, effectively protecting the pension from being offset or enforced, ensuring that it is solely used for living expenses after retirement.