The SSS Flexi-Fund is a mechanism for Overseas Filipino Workers to set aside a portion of their hard-earned income abroad and maximize returns of their investments.
What is the SSS Flexi-Fund?
- Provident fund program: Voluntary, individual account scheme offered exclusively to OFWs in addition to the Regular Coverage Program
- Pension-savings plan: Mechanism for OFWs to set aside a portion of their income abroad and maximize returns on their investments
Launched in 2001, the Flexi-fund serves as an additional layer of social security protection for OFWs. Primarily, it aims to supplement basic pension benefits under the regular program (a social insurance scheme), thus responding to the clamor of OFWs for a more comprehensive coverage.
Why is the SSS Flexi-Fund a good investment?
Members’ Flexi-fund savings are invested in fixed-income government securities, thus earnings are guaranteed. Interest rates are based on average rates of SSS’ short-term peso placements or 91-day Treasury bills, whichever is higher. Earnings are credited every month-end; rates are re-priced quarterly to reflect current market conditions. This ensures a transparent, better yielding, risk-free investment for OFWs. The SSS charges a fee of 1% per annum of individual accumulated funds to cover the management cost of investment.
What are the benefits under this program?
Members are entitled to the net guaranteed earnings from their accumulated Flexi-fund contributions, tax-free.
Retirement, Disability and Death
May be disbursed in monthly pension, lump sum or combination of both upon contingency (date to coincide with regular program).
Early Withdrawal
May be filed anytime for urgent cash needs or financing of business/housing/schooling; with pre-termination fees if contributions stayed in the Fund for less than 1 year.
Annual Incentive Benefits (AIB)
May be declared depending on the Fund’s year-end net investment income; with automatic posting of AIB amounts to accounts of members with no benefit/ full withdrawal claims for the year, as distributed based on shares to total equity of all qualified members.
Who can join and qualify in the Flexi-fund Program?
The program is open to all overseas Filipinos:
- Recruited in the Philippines by foreign-based employers for work abroad;
- with source of income in a foreign country; or
- residing permanently in a foreign country.
To qualify, the initial/latest OFW contributions under the regular program must be based on the maximum monthly salary credit (MSC
What are the terms of contribution payment?
Once enrolled, a member’s Flexi-fund account is set up. The terms of payment are flexible:
- Any amount, not lower than P200, paid in excess of the required regular SSS contributions is automatically posted to the member’s account and earns interest;
- There are no initial deposit or maintaining balance requirements, and no ceiling on contribution amounts; and
- Members have option to contribute monthly, quarterly, annually or intermittently, depending on capacity to save
How and where can OFWs enroll in the program?
Qualified OFWs may submit membership applications using SS Form OW-1 (Overseas Worker Record), with checkmark on “Flexi-fund”, at any SSS foreign representative office located in various destination countries. The form may also be downloaded from the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph).
How can members remit their Flexi-fund contributions?
Flexi-fund contributions are remitted in the same manner as contributions for the regular program, which makes use of SS Form RS-5 (Contributions Payment Return). Members have to indicate “Overseas Filipino Worker” as payor type. Both the regular and Flexi-fund contributions may be paid at the same time, following the payment deadlines on the next page.
Contributions for: January to December – May be paid anytime within the same year
October to December May also be paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year
Flexi-fund contributions may also be paid separately, provided that maximum regular contributions have been paid for the applicable period indicated. Otherwise, it will be deducted first from the total amount intended for Flexifund, and only the excess will be posted to the member’s account. Members are encouraged to register in “My.SSS” facility of the SSS website to monitor their Flexi-fund accounts.
What are the available payment channels for Flexi-fund?
Members may remit their Flexi-fund contributions at participating branches, remittance offices or authorized agents of SSS accredited collection partners located abroad.
Overseas electronic payment (e-payment) collection services for faster contribution processing and posting are offered by the following SSS-accredited service providers:
Banks
- Asia United Bank (AUB)
- Bank of Commerce (BOC)
- Philippine National Bank (PNB)
- BDO Non-bank partners
- iRemit
- Ventaja
- Lucky Money
- Sky Freight
Members also have the option to remit thru their relatives in the Philippines, at SSS branches with tellering facilities or accredited collection partners nationwide. Payment services thru the Internet (Bancnet online and PayPal) and auto-debit arrangements (ADA) are also available for account-holders of participating Philippine banks.
How and where can benefit/withdrawal claims be filed?
Filing of applications for Flexi-fund benefit claims is done using SS Form DDR-2 (Death, Disability, Retirement and Early Withdrawal for Flexi-fund Program), to be submitted at any SSS foreign representative office or branch in the Philippines for processing and settlement.
For early withdrawal claims, members must indicate if filing for full or partial lump sum. Those with settled full withdrawals and who later on decides to resume membership in Flexi-fund are required to reenroll in the program.
Until when can members save in the SSS Flexi-fund?
Members may continue their Flexi-fund savings even after overseas employment, provided that regular contributions remain at the maximum (e.g., as voluntary paying member). The opportunity to contribute to the Fund shall cease upon filing of final claim (total disability, retirement or death) under the regular SSS program.
The above information is an excerpt from this SSS brochure
