The Meloni Government has confirmed for 2026 the so-called “Giorgetti bonus”, already known as the “Maroni bonus”, the incentive designed to retain workers in the company who have met the requirements for early retirement but who nevertheless choose not to leave their jobs.
The text included in the 2026 Budget Law extends the measure until 31 December 2026, keeping the rules intact and slightly expanding the range of beneficiaries. The aim is to ease the pressure on the pension system and at the same time enhance the experience of senior workers.
What is the Giorgetti bonus and who is entitled to it
The bonus is aimed at public and private employees, registered with the Mandatory General Insurance (Ago) or with replacement or exclusive forms, who meet the requirements for ordinary early retirement during 2026:
- 42 years and 10 months of contributions for men;
- 41 years and 10 months for women.
Those who find themselves in this situation can decide to continue working, temporarily giving up their pension, and ask INPS to activate the incentive.
Once the application has been approved, the share of contributions payable by the worker (equal to 9.19% of the gross salary in the private sector and 8.89% in the public sector) is no longer paid to INPS, but ends up directly in the pay slip as a net, tax-free increase.
Those who already receive a pension (except for disability) or who have already submitted an application for retirement are excluded from the benefit.
How much is the Giorgetti bonus worth?
With the Giorgetti bonus active, the employer continues to pay its share of contributions (equal to 23.81%) to INPS, while the employee’s share is returned to the pay slip.
The average increase varies based on the salary: from around 185 euros net per month for those earning 2,000 euros gross up to 450 euros per month for incomes of around 60,000 euros per year.
These are net sums, not subject to Irpef or contributions and immediately spendable. The higher the salary, the longer one stays at work, and the higher the advantage introduced by the Giorgetti bonus. The benefit can exceed 11,000 euros net if the worker with a medium-high salary decides to stay in service for 2 more years.
The measure is especially useful for those who intend to postpone their exit by just a few years and wish to exploit the final career window to increase available liquidity.
According to Government estimates, in 2026 the Giorgetti bonus will lead to lower contribution income of approximately 12.8 million euros, offset by savings in pension expenditure of approximately 12.2 million. The effect is therefore marginal in the short term, but positive in the long run, when the deferral of the new pensions will generate a reduction in social security spending. The balance, according to estimates, will become positive starting from 2030.
The Meloni Government and pensions
The extension of the Giorgetti bonus until 2026 comes at a moment of stalemate in the overall pension reform: The Government has chosen not to intervene on Quota 103, Opzione Donna or Ape Sociale, possibly postponing everything to 2027, when the first adjustment of the contribution requirements will start (plus one month for men and two for women).
