Commitment to withdrawal anniversary reaches RECORD level in Brazil; will workers get gifts?

Check out the news about the FGTS anniversary withdrawal and find out if workers will get a gift from the government after registering for membership.

The Service Time Guarantee Fund (FGTS) has always been a financial guarantee for many Brazilian workers, especially in times of unemployment or economic difficulties.

Among the various ways to access this resource, the Christmas withdrawal was introduced in 2020 as a way to provide workers with a new withdrawal option.

However, recent changes are being discussed within the federal government, which could change the future of this method, affecting millions of Brazilians who have joined it in recent years.

The popularity of this sport and its weight in the public treasury

Since its inception, the Birthday Draw has allowed workers to withdraw a portion of the balance annually from their FGTS accounts, in the month of their birthday.

This option gave greater flexibility in the use of resources, allowing workers to get paid immediately, without having to wait for events such as unfair dismissal.

However, the choice of this method came with a trade-off: when choosing to opt out from the date of birth, the worker loses the right to fully withdraw from the FGTS in the event of unfair dismissal, which has sparked discussions about the real benefits of this alternative.

Between March 2020 and August 2024, the method reached more than 35 million active members, with total withdrawals of R$125.4 billion.

While these figures show broad support for the anniversary withdrawal, they have also raised concerns within government about the impact of this model on FGTS funding, which is used to fund infrastructure projects, basic sanitation and, crucially, public housing.

Find out more: How to withdraw FGTS termination? Step by step, deadlines, and much more

End of Memorial Looting and New Government Proposals

Last week, Labor and Employment Minister Luiz Marinho announced that the federal government plans to end the anniversary withdrawal. The measure has been approved by President Lula and should reach the National Congress through a bill.

According to the government, this approach has drained FGTS resources, hurting investments in areas such as housing, which rely on the fund to provide mortgage financing to low-income workers.

Despite the intention to end this method, the government is proposing new alternatives that could benefit workers.

At the same time, it seeks to maintain the financial balance of the FGTS fund. Among these new features is the possibility of using the FGTS as a guarantee for salary loans in the private sector.

This move could provide a new way to access the resource without compromising the fund in such a major way.

See also: How does the FGTS Birthday Draw work? Don’t order before reading our tips!

The Future of FGTS for Brazilian Workers

If approved, the end of the annual withdrawal could directly affect the 35 million workers who joined the method.

Those who have already opted out of the Date of Birth will still be able to maintain their terms until the PL is implemented. However, new membership will no longer be possible.

For many, the demise of this method may be seen as a loss of flexibility in using the FGTS. At the same time, others see this move as a positive move to preserve the fund’s resources and investments in core areas.

The government, in turn, argues that the change will bring more long-term benefits, preserving FGTS for more strategic uses. The possibility of obtaining a deductible credit from the payroll guaranteed by FGTS could also provide a new opportunity for workers to access the resource in a more responsible way.

The debate now heads to the National Congress, which must debate and vote on the bill. It is expected that, if approved, the end of the birth date withdrawal will provide new forms of protection and access to benefits.

How to check your FGTS balance

The FGTS app is available for Android and iOS, allowing workers to easily check their balance. After downloading, it is necessary to register information such as CPF, full name, email and create a password. Those who are already registered can log in directly.

The app shows the “Total Balance” option at the top of the home page. To see your full balance, simply tap on the eye icon.

The app also provides a full statement of payments made by all companies the worker has worked for.

Furthermore, the balance can be viewed on the Caixa website, but only for account holders. To access, the user must enter his CPF and password and look for the “Complete statement” option in the FGTS menu.

There is also the option to receive the account statement via SMS, and to register the phone number in the application itself.