- Valid DPI (national ID)
- IGSS affiliate number (NA) — appears on pay stubs
- Contribution history certificate — request at any IGSS office or Portal Afiliado
- For old-age: employment termination certificate from last employer
- For disability: IGSS medical board ruling
- For survivors: death certificate + marriage certificate + children's birth certificates
The IVS Program (Invalidez, Vejez y Sobrevivencia — Disability, Old-Age, Survivors) is the backbone of Guatemala’s pension system. It is one of the five formal IGSS programs — along with EMA (medical care), PRECAPI (domestic household workers), IPLENA (children and adolescents), and PLAN (IGSS internal employees).
IVS quick summary: IGSS’s long-term pension program. Covers 3 benefits: old-age pension (age 60 + 240 contributions), disability pension (36+ contributions + medical certification), survivor pension (widow/children when contributor dies). Base pension = 50% of average salary from last 60 months. Minimum pension: Q340/month. Funded by the standard IGSS contribution (4.83% employee + 12.67% employer — split internally between IVS and EMA).
Data verified against IGSS portal (igssgt.org), Decreto 295, and Acuerdos 466/1124/1257 — May 2026.
IVS Within IGSS — The Five Programs
IGSS is not a single program. It is an autonomous institution running five distinct programs defined in Decreto 295 and regulated by subsequent Board agreements:
| Program | Full name | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| IVS | Invalidez, Vejez y Sobrevivencia | Long-term pensions (this page) |
| EMA | Enfermedad, Maternidad y Accidentes | Short-term medical care |
| PRECAPI | Proteccion para Trabajadoras de Casa | Domestic household workers (voluntary) |
| IPLENA | Incorporacion Plena de la Niñez y Adolescencia | Child protection programs |
| PLAN | Pensiones Trabajadores del IGSS | Internal IGSS employees |
When 4.83% IGSS is deducted from your salary each month, that contribution is distributed internally between IVS, EMA, and administration. The worker does not choose where it goes — the split is set by Acuerdo 1124. The key point: with that single monthly contribution you are automatically covered for both IVS and EMA.
The Three IVS Benefits
1. Old-Age Pension (Pension por Vejez)
The best-known benefit — the retirement pension. Granted when the worker reaches age 60 and has 240 monthly contributions (20 years contributed).
| Concept | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 60 years |
| Minimum contributions | 240 monthly (20 years) — phased in historically |
| Base pension | 50% of average salary over last 60 months |
| Legal minimum pension | Q340/month |
| Additional allowance | +10% per each 12 extra contributions above 240, up to 80% of base salary |
| Maximum pension | 80% of base salary regardless of additional contributions |
| Application cost | Free — no lawyer or tramitador needed |
If you worked from age 20 to 60 contributing regularly, you easily exceed 240 contributions. If you started late or had non-contributing periods, you may reach exactly the requirement by 60 — or continue contributing after 60 until you accumulate 240 (no maximum contributing age).
Old-age pension detailed process →
2. Disability Pension (Pension por Invalidez)
Granted when the worker becomes permanently incapacitated from performing their usual occupation or any work appropriate for their training. Independent of age — can be requested at any age.
| Concept | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum contributions | 36 contributions within the last 6 years before disability onset |
| Required ruling | IGSS Medical Technical Board |
| Base pension | 50% of average salary over last 60 months |
| Minimum pension | Q340/month |
| Additional allowances | For economic dependents (spouse, minor children) |
| Disability types | Total (cannot work at all) or Partial (reduced capacity) |
Disability can be caused by accident, chronic illness, or congenital condition. The IGSS medical board ruling is decisive — a private diagnosis alone is not enough. The process includes multiple examinations with IGSS doctors and can take 60-180 days.
Disability pension detailed process →
3. Survivor Pension (Pension de Sobrevivencia)
Granted to dependent family members when an IGSS contributor or pensioner dies. The least-known benefit but critically important for Guatemalan families.
| Concept | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum contributions (active contributor) | 36 contributions at time of death |
| Minimum contributions (IVS pensioner) | Any amount (already pensioned) |
| Beneficiaries | Widow/widower, children under 18 (or 21 if studying), dependent parents |
| Widow/widower pension | 50% of deceased’s base pension |
| Per-child pension | 25% of base pension, up to age 18 (21 if at university) |
| Parent pension | 25% if economically dependent |
| Combined maximum | 100% of deceased’s base pension |
If the contributor dies before reaching 36 contributions, survivors do not receive a pension but may receive a lump-sum payment (funeral subsidy + some contribution refund in certain cases).
Survivor pension detailed process →
How IVS Is Funded — The 17.5% Math
IGSS receives 17.5% of gross salary from each formal worker each month, distributed:
| Concept | Rate | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Employer contribution | 12.67% | Employer (company) |
| Employee contribution | 4.83% | Employee (deducted from salary) |
| TOTAL | 17.50% |
Of that 17.5%, IGSS internally distributes between programs:
- IVS (pensions): ~5.5% combined (3.67% employer + 1.83% employee)
- EMA (medical care): ~9% combined (6.67% employer + 2.33% employee)
- Administration and reserves: ~3% combined
- PRECAPI / IPLENA / PLAN: mixed funding (contributions + state budget)
These internal proportions are in Acuerdo 1124 and can be adjusted by the IGSS Board. What matters for you as worker or employer: you pay ONE monthly contribution (4.83% employee, 12.67% employer) and IGSS distributes it.
IGSS contribution calculator →
Who Can Access IVS — By Worker Type
Formal Employee (Employer-Worker Relationship)
If you work for a formal company (salaried with payroll), you are automatically enrolled in IVS from the first month your employer affiliates you with IGSS. Your IVS contributions accumulate in your personal IGSS file.
Independent Worker / Freelancer (Voluntary Contribution)
If you work on your own, you can voluntarily affiliate with IGSS under the voluntary contribution program. You pay your own monthly contribution (4.83% of a declared base salary) and get IVS coverage — your voluntary contributions count toward the required 240. You do not pay the 12.67% employer share because there is no employer.
Domestic Household Worker (PRECAPI)
Household domestic workers do not have mandatory affiliation under Decreto 295. The voluntary PRECAPI program exists where the employer (family) pays the contribution. A worker affiliated to PRECAPI accumulates IVS contributions toward old-age pension.
Migrant Worker (Diaspora)
If you worked formally in Guatemala and then migrated to USA/Spain/elsewhere, your IGSS contributions are not lost — they remain accumulated. If Guatemala has a bilateral agreement with the country where you reside (e.g., Spain), you can add periods via totalization under treaty. If there is NO agreement (USA case), only Guatemalan contributions count.
Quick Pension Calculator — Old-Age
If your average salary over the last 60 months was:
| Avg monthly salary | Base pension (50%) | With 240 contributions | With 300 contributions (+5 yrs extra) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q3,500 (minimum) | Q1,750 | Q1,750 | Q1,925 (+10%) |
| Q5,000 | Q2,500 | Q2,500 | Q2,750 |
| Q8,000 | Q4,000 | Q4,000 | Q4,400 |
| Q12,000 | Q6,000 | Q6,000 | Q6,600 |
| Q18,000 | Q9,000 | Q9,000 | Q9,900 |
| Q25,000 | Q12,500 | Q12,500 | Q13,750 |
Legal minimum pension: Q340/month. Maximum: 80% of base salary. Dependent allowances and annual bonus not included.
Common Mistakes with IVS
1. Believing IGSS = only medical care. IVS is the other half — your retirement pension depends on the same contributor.
2. Not reviewing contributions annually. The Portal Afiliado shows all reported contributions. Small employer omissions (e.g., 1-2 months not reported) can cost years at the end.
3. Thinking US contributions count. If you worked in the USA and contributed to Social Security, those do NOT count toward IGSS — no agreement exists. The only way to cover IVS from abroad is voluntary contribution.
4. Applying for the pension without ending employment. For old-age pension you must have terminated the formal employment that generated the contributions. If still employed, the pension cannot be granted — you can wait and continue contributing.
5. Forgetting about survivor benefits. Many Guatemalan widows do not know they qualify. If your husband contributed to IGSS and died, file the claim — even years later.
Official Resources
- IGSS Contact Center: 1522 (free from within Guatemala)
- Main offices PBX: 2412-1224 / 2297-1224
- Address: 7a. Avenida 22-72 Zona 1, Guatemala City
- Portal Afiliado IGSS — check contributions
- CATAFI Portal — certificates
- Main site: igssgt.org
Related IGSS Pages
- Guatemala Tramites — IGSS (Spanish hub)
- Worker Initial Affiliation — first formal job
- Old-Age Pension Detailed — step-by-step
- Disability Pension Detailed — medical process
- Survivor Pension — for widow and children
- Voluntary Contribution IGSS — freelancers and independents
- IGSS Contribution Calculator — calculate your deduction
- IGSS Migrant Worker — diaspora and treaties
- IGSS EMA Medical Care — medical coverage component
- Healthcare Guatemala — full healthcare system overview