YEL income review

The increase resulting from a review will take effect from the beginning of the second calendar month following the start of the review process. For example, if Varma initiates a review in June, your YEL income will change from the beginning of August.

We will review your YEL income during the calendar year in which three years have passed since your last YEL income was confirmed.

We will review YEL incomes for insurance policies that have started before 1 January 2023 as follows:

• in 2023, we reviewed YEL incomes of less than EUR 15,000
• in 2024, we will review YEL incomes of less than EUR 25,000
• in 2025, we will review YEL incomes of more than EUR 25,000

However, the first review will not take place before the year in which three years have passed since the start of your YEL insurance. It will also not take place before the year in which three years have passed since a substantial change (of more than 15%) in YEL income that has been made before the introduction of the law reform. For example, for YEL insurances that have started in 2022, YEL income will generally be reviewed in 2025.

Unfortunately, you cannot avoid the review. However, you can raise your YEL income to the legal level by applying for a change in your YEL income, which usually postpones the review until three years later. At the introduction of the law reform, YEL income will be reviewed in the year in which three years have passed since a substantial change (of more than 15%) took place in YEL income.

Changing your pension insurance company does not affect the review or its timing. The review obligation applies to all earnings-related pension insurance companies. If you want to change your pension insurance company, your new pension insurance company will carry out the review.

The YEL income review cannot be carried out retrospectively.

Your YEL insurance must be in force when the review becomes effective. This means that your YEL income will not be reviewed if, for example, your YEL insurance ends because of an old-age pension or for any other reason before the review starts.

You will always receive a decision on the review of your YEL income, which you can appeal against. You will receive the decision either by post or in Varma Online Service if you have chosen the electronic service.

We will also notify self-employed persons whose YEL income will not change as a result of the YEL income review.

If your insurance started before 1 January 2023 and your YEL income has not been changed at your own request after the law has come into force, your YEL income can be increased by up to EUR 4,000 per review in the first two reviews.
If your insurance has started on or after 1 January 2023 or your YEL income has been changed in 2023, there is no limit to the increase.

By logging into Varma Online Service, you can see when your YEL income was last confirmed.

You will have the opportunity to share your views on the level of your YEL income and to explain the factors affecting your YEL income. We will take your statement into account when assessing your YEL income level.

On the basis of your statement, our decision will be one of these options:

• there is no need to change your YEL income
• the change in YEL income is less than proposed
• the change in YEL income will be made as we propose, in spite of your statement

You will always receive a decision confirming your YEL income, which you can appeal against.

Your YEL income should correspond to the annual salary you would pay for the same job to someone else as skilled as you are. In principle, the median wage in the self-employed person's sector is taken as YEL income. In addition, the review takes into account information that reflects:

• the volume and value of the self-employed person's work input
• the extent of the self-employment activity
• the self-employed person's professional skills

For example, you can provide information on whether your business activity is seasonal, full-time or part-time, or whether you have employees.

Your voluntary pension insurance is not taken into account when determining the legal level of your YEL income.

You do not have to respond to the YEL income proposal if you agree to the proposed YEL income and do not want to provide further information affecting your YEL income. If you do not respond to the proposal and provide further information on the factors affecting your YEL income, we will give you an appealable decision on your adjusted YEL income in line with our proposal.

Responding to the proposal is easy and secure in Varma Online Service. If necessary, you can also request more time to provide the information. However, requesting more time does not affect the date from which your YEL income may be adjusted.

The maximum increase of EUR 4,000 only applies in situations where the earnings-related pension insurance company reviews your YEL income and your YEL income was last confirmed before 1 January 2023.

If you have already applied or are applying for a change in your YEL income this year before the review, your YEL income will be set at the statutory level. In this case, your YEL income may differ from what you have applied for and may increase by more than the maximum increase of EUR 4,000. In this case, the YEL income review at the initiative of the pension insurance company will be carried out after three years at the earliest.

Your YEL income will not be reviewed if your YEL insurance is not valid, for example because of retirement or parental leave, at the beginning of the month in which your YEL income would change.

Once you have received a decision on your new YEL income, you will see your new YEL contribution in Varma Online Service.