For new olim, the topic of retirement in Israel often raises many questions. Especially if a person arrived in the country already as an adult, has lived in Israel for less than 10 years, and hasn’t had time to accumulate significant work experience.
1. Retirement Age
The right to apply for the old-age benefit — קצבת אזרח ותיק (formerly קצבת זקנה) — arises upon reaching retirement age.
For men, the retirement age is 67.
For women, the retirement age ranges from 62 to 65, depending on date of birth. Women should separately check the retirement age table, since the retirement age depends on year of birth.
2. What Happens Before Retirement
About a month before reaching retirement age, Bituah Leumi sends the person an application form for the old-age benefit.
The form may arrive:
- by regular mail;
- electronically, through the personal account on the Bituah Leumi website.
Some of the information on the form may already be filled in automatically. You should carefully check your personal details and complete any missing sections.
Form 4501 also contains the information needed for the initial check of eligibility for the social supplement — השלמת הכנסה.
3. What Documents You Need to Prepare
Documents confirming income, banking details, and financial status must be attached to the application.
You will usually need:
completed form 4501;
- tlushei maskoret (payslips from work);
- a bank account statement for the last 3 months;
- a bank certificate confirming savings;
- if you own a car — a copy of the rishayon rechev;
- if the person is stopping work — a termination letter from the employer;
- form 161 from the employer.
Tlushei Maskoret
If the person worked during the current year, payslips from the beginning of the year must be attached.
If the application is submitted in January, 12 payslips for the previous calendar year are usually attached.
Bank Statement
A bank account statement for the last 3 months must be provided.
Savings Certificate
A separate bank certificate confirming savings is required.
Important: this certificate must be provided even if there are no savings. The bank must confirm either the presence or the absence of savings.
Car
If the person owns a car, this information must be indicated in the application. A copy of the rishayon rechev (vehicle registration document) must be attached.
Bituah Leumi takes into account car ownership and its assessed value according to the Yitzhak Levi price guide (מחירון יצחק לוי).
4. How to Submit Documents
Documents can be submitted to Bituah Leumi in several ways:
- through the personal account on the website;
- via the branch’s mailbox;
- in person, through a Bituah Leumi employee at the branch.
After the documents are submitted, Bituah Leumi sends confirmation of receipt of the application and attached documents.
Reviewing the application usually takes about one month.
5. Old-Age Benefit from Bituah Leumi
The old-age benefit is a basic payment from Bituah Leumi for people who have reached retirement age and meet the eligibility conditions.
It’s important for new olim to understand: the old-age benefit from Bituah Leumi is not the same as employer-funded pension savings.
Even if a person has not had time to accumulate a substantial work pension in Israel, they should still check their eligibility for the old-age benefit.
6. Work Seniority Supplement
If a person worked in Israel and was insured under the Bituah Leumi system, the benefit amount may be increased through a seniority supplement.
For each full year of work experience, the following is added:
+2% of the base benefit amount.
For new olim who have lived in Israel for less than 10 years, this supplement is often small or absent altogether.
7. Deferral Supplement
If a person has reached retirement age but continued working and did not start receiving the old-age benefit, they may be entitled to an additional supplement.
The amount of this supplement is:
+5% for each full year the benefit is deferred.
The maximum deferral supplement can be up to 50% of the base benefit amount.
8. A Special Note for New Olim
Many olim who have lived in Israel for less than 10 years have not had time to accumulate significant work experience or pension savings.
In this situation, it’s especially important to check eligibility not only for the old-age benefit, but also for the social supplement (השלמת הכנסה), since it often becomes the main support tool for retirees with limited work experience in Israel.
9. Social Supplement to the Old-Age Benefit — השלמת הכנסה
In addition to the old-age benefit, a retiree may be entitled to a social supplement.
An initial eligibility check for the supplement is carried out as part of form 4501 when applying for the old-age benefit.
If there was no eligibility for the social supplement at the time of retirement, but circumstances later changed, a separate application can be submitted.
For a separate submission, form 430 is used — the application for the social supplement.
10. What Bituah Leumi Checks for the Social Supplement
Several factors are taken into account when checking eligibility for the social supplement.
Family Income
The income of both spouses is taken into account.
It’s recommended to check current income limits and eligibility conditions for the social supplement on the Bituah Leumi website before submitting an application. A calculator-questionnaire is available at this link.
Savings
Bituah Leumi checks for savings and financial assets.
As of 2026:
- for a single person — up to ₪41,528;
- for a married couple — up to ₪62,292.
This is why a bank certificate confirming the presence or absence of savings is required with the application (even if there are no savings — the certificate is mandatory).
Car
If the person owns a car, it is also taken into account when checking eligibility for the social supplement.
Car ownership must be indicated in the application, and a copy of the rishayon rechev must be attached.
The car’s assessed value is determined according to the Yitzhak Levi price guide.
Owning a car does not always mean the supplement will be denied, but its value can affect the outcome of the check. Different eligibility criteria for the social supplement may apply to working and non-working retirees.
Additional Checks for New Olim
If the retiree recently made aliyah to Israel, Bituah Leumi may request additional documents about income and assets outside Israel:
- bank account information;
- certificates from pension funds;
- information on whether real estate is owned in the country of origin.
It is therefore important to prepare in advance documents confirming financial status both in Israel and abroad.
11. Why It’s Important to Apply for the Social Supplement
Even if the social supplement amounts to just 1 shekel, the person becomes entitled to a number of additional benefits. This is why experts recommend always checking eligibility for the social supplement, even if its amount seems likely to be minimal.
Arnona
Full exemption from arnona payments for the first 100 m² of housing.
If the apartment is larger, only the difference above this area is paid.
Electricity
A 50% discount on the first 400 kWh per month.
As a rule, the discount is applied automatically.
Medications
A 50% discount on medications included in the health basket.
For social supplement recipients over 72, the total discount can reach 55%.
Medical Services
Exemption from payment for a number of medical services at health funds (kupot holim).
Telephone Service
A 50% discount on the fixed monthly fee of the Bezeq company.
Heating Benefit
An annual payment for heating during the winter period.
In 2026, the heating benefit amounts to ₪664 per year. The amount may be revised in subsequent years.
Public Housing
The right to be placed on a waiting list for public housing or a place in a hostel for the elderly.
12. For Married Couples
The benefit amount for a married couple is higher than for a single person.
As a rule, a couple receives about one and a half times the base old-age benefit.
When checking eligibility for the social supplement, the income, savings, and assets of both spouses are taken into account.
13. What Else Is Worth Checking Separately
The old-age benefit from Bituah Leumi is not the only possible source of income for a retiree.
If a person worked officially in Israel, they may have additional pension savings:
- in a pension fund (קרן פנסיה);
- in a managers’ insurance program (ביטוח מנהלים);
- in a savings program or provident fund (קופת גמל).
It’s also worth separately checking the question of receiving pitzuim (פיצויים) — severance payments from an employer upon termination of employment.
If you don’t know which pension fund or insurance company holds your savings, you can check this information through the government service “Har HaKesef” (הר הכסף).
Even if your work experience in Israel was limited, such savings can become an additional source of income after retirement.
14. Senior Citizen Card (תעודת אזרח ותיק)
After receiving retiree status, a person is issued a senior citizen card. In most cases, it is sent automatically by mail.
In addition to the plastic card, a digital senior citizen card can be used through the government MyGov service.
The card provides entitlement to additional benefits:
- discounts on visits to museums, theaters, and concerts;
- discounts at national parks and nature reserves;
- discounts on bank fees;
- discounts on various cultural events and government sites.
15. Public Transportation Discounts
Retirees are entitled to discounted fares on public transportation.
- women, from reaching retirement age until age 67, receive a 50% discount;
- after age 67, public transportation becomes free.
Important to remember: even when travel is free, the trip must still be validated.
16. Care Benefit (קצבת סיעוד)
If an elderly person needs help with daily life, they may be entitled to the care benefit.
The benefit is intended for people who need help with:
- getting dressed;
- washing;
- eating;
- personal hygiene;
- mobility;
- other daily activities.
In most cases, assistance is provided not as cash payments but as hours of care through specialized companies.
For elderly new olim and their families, this is one of the most important benefits to know about in advance.
Important: applying for the care benefit is not automatically linked to receiving the old-age benefit or the social supplement. To receive the care benefit (siud), a separate application must be submitted and a level-of-dependency assessment must be completed.
17. Good to Know
Many new olim believe that if they worked little in Israel, they aren’t entitled to anything.
In practice, this isn’t always true.
Even if you don’t have much work experience, it’s worth checking your eligibility for:
- the old-age benefit;
- the social supplement;
- benefits associated with the social supplement;
- additional pension savings.
The final decision on eligibility for the benefit, social supplement, and additional benefits is made by Bituah Leumi after reviewing all submitted documents and information.
This information is current as of 2026. Benefit amounts, income limits, and the conditions for receiving the social supplement and other benefits may change. Before submitting documents, it’s recommended to check the current information with Bituah Leumi or consult a specialist at the Beit Olim inquiries department.
