INPS Cuts August Pension by 5% for 50,000 Who Skipped 2022 Income Disclosure

Starting with August 2026 pension payments, Italy’s INPS social-security institute applied a 5% withholding on roughly 50,000 retirees who receive income-linked pension supplements but never submitted their 2022 income disclosure. The same deduction repeats on September 2026 payslips. Pensioners who fail to regularize by September 15, 2026 face definitive revocation of the linked benefit and possible recovery of past overpayments.

Many beneficiaries first noticed the cut when their August cedolino (payslip) arrived in mid-August, prompting widespread confusion over whether the reduction stemmed from tax withholding or a separate administrative penalty.

Editor’s note: This article draws on INPS Messaggio n. 2394/2026 (July 17, 2026), reporting by ANSA (August 5, 2026), Panorama, CGIL Lazio, and other Italian outlets through August 20, 2026. Figures reflect INPS statements available as of that date.

What triggered the August cut

The measure is not a new tax and not tied to the annual 730 income-tax return for most affected cases. It stems from Italy’s RED (Rendicontazione reddituale) campaign — a periodic check that pensioners receiving prestazioni collegate al reddito (benefits whose amount depends on personal or household income) must confirm the income data INPS uses to calculate their payment.

The RED 2023 campaign, covering 2022 income, closed on March 31, 2025. Pensioners who still had not filed after reminders entered the next enforcement stage under Article 35, comma 10-bis, of Law 207/2008.

On July 17, 2026, INPS issued operational instructions in Messaggio n. 2394/2026, setting out how the institute would suspend benefits for non-compliant residents of Italy.

Who is affected

The withholding targets pensioners who:

• Live in Italy
• Receive income-linked supplements on top of their base pension — such as social supplements (maggiorazione sociale), minimum-pension integration (integrazione al trattamento minimo), or the fourteenth-month bonus (quattordicesima)
• Failed to submit the required 2022 income declaration by the end of the RED campaign

INPS pensions director Domenico De Fazio told Rai 1 on August 5, 2026 that about 50,000 people fall into this group — roughly 0.3% of all INPS pensioners. He described them as beneficiaries who received provisional supplements based on income data that had not yet been verified.

Detail	Information
Withholding rate	5% of gross pensionable amount from July 2026
Months affected	August and September 2026 pension installments
Exemption	Pensions of €100 or less per month are not subject to the 5% cut
Payslip label	“Trattenuta per mancata comunicazione reddito art. 35, comma 10-bis, D.L. n. 207/2008”
Deadline	September 15, 2026 to file income reconstitution
If missed	Definitive benefit revocation and clawback of undue amounts

Even pensioners below the €100 threshold must still regularize. INPS has said revocation can apply to them as well if they miss the September deadline — the small-pension exemption covers only the temporary withholding, not the underlying filing obligation.

How much money is at stake

The 5% figure is calculated from each person’s July 2026 gross pensionable base, not from the supplement alone. Italian media offered a practical example: for a retiree on the 2026 minimum pension of €611.85, the withholding works out to about €30.59 per month — applied twice, in August and September.

That may look modest compared with losing the entire income-linked supplement, which INPS warns can follow if the September deadline passes without action.

How to check your payslip

If your August pension looks lower than expected, look at the line-item description next to any deduction:

• A cut labeled “Trattenuta per mancata comunicazione reddito art. 35, comma 10-bis, D.L. n. 207/2008” points to this RED enforcement — not to routine tax withholding.
• INPS has also sent dedicated notices to affected pensioners, available in the MyINPS portal and, where registered, via PEC or email.

Other common reasons for a smaller summer payment — such as 730 tax settlement or one-off adjustments — can produce different descriptions. Matching the exact label matters before filing a complaint or assuming an error.

How to regularize before September 15

To stop the suspension and avoid revocation, affected pensioners must submit a request for “Ricostituzione reddituale per sospensione art. 35, comma 10-bis, D.L. n. 207/2008” — an income reconstitution tied to the suspension — by September 15, 2026.

INPS says the filing can be made:

1. Online through the INPS portal under Pensione e Previdenza → Domanda di pensione → Aree tematiche → Variazione Pensione, using SPID (Level 2 or higher), CIE 3.0, CNS, or eIDAS credentials
2. Through a patronato (authorized assistance office) or other accredited intermediary

The submission should include the 2022 income information INPS needs to verify whether the linked supplement was correctly paid.

What happens after the deadline

If no reconstitution request arrives by September 15, 2026, INPS says it will:

• Revoke definitively the income-linked benefit tied to 2022
• Recover amounts that verification shows were not owed, potentially going back to the period under review

Officials emphasize that the summer 5% withholding is a temporary suspension step, not the final penalty. Missing the September cutoff can cost far more than two months of reduced payments.

Why this surfaced in August 2026

INPS announced the operational rules in July 2026, but the practical impact landed when August pension deposits began reaching bank accounts. Coverage intensified around August 20, 2026 as retirees compared payslips, patronati fielded calls, and unions including CGIL circulated guidance on the RED deadline.

De Fazio’s August 5 television appearance was part of INPS’s effort to separate this administrative enforcement from unrelated summer tax adjustments — and to stress that the affected group, while widely discussed, remains a small fraction of Italy’s pension population.

---

Discussion

1. Is a temporary 5% cut an effective way to enforce income reporting — or does it punish people who may have missed notices through no fault of their own?

Patronati and union channels exist precisely because RED rules are complex. Should INPS expand outreach before moving to revocation?

2. If you receive an income-linked supplement, how confident are you that INPS already holds your household income data from tax filings?

Italy’s system assumes automatic data sharing in many cases — yet tens of thousands still landed in the suspension pool. Where should the burden of proof sit: on the pensioner or on the institute?

Share your experience if you noticed an unexpected line on your August cedolino — especially what the payslip description said and how you plan to respond before September 15.

---

This article is news and general information, not personal legal, tax, or financial advice. Pension rules change frequently; consult INPS, a qualified patronato, or a licensed professional before acting on your own case.