Contents of this guide
What the Christmas bonus for retirees and pensioners is
The Christmas bonus is an annual payment that the Social Security Fund (CSS) makes in December to retirees and pensioners of the Disability, Old Age and Death (IVM) and Occupational Risk programs. The law sets it at B/. 60.00, with an extra B/. 100.00 for one pension bracket. No employer pays it, and CSS announcements do not ask for an application.
In its announcement of 12 December 2025, the CSS called it “special year-end bonuses” and paid it with the second December fortnight. More on the institution: Social Security Fund: payments, contributions and appointments.
Legal basis, amounts and who gets it
The B/. 60.00 bonus rests on Law 51 of 2005, the CSS organic law, and the extra B/. 100.00 on Law 70 of 2011, as the CSS itself cites. In the consolidated text of Law 51, published in Official Gazette 30284-B of 22 May 2025, the annual bonus appears in article 223.
| December payment | Amount | Who gets it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas bonus | B/. 60.00 | IVM and Occupational Risk retirees and pensioners on the second-fortnight December payroll | CSS, Law 51, art. 223 |
| Additional bonus | B/. 100.00 | Those on that payroll with a pension above B/. 800.01 and up to B/. 1,500.00, not exceeding B/. 1,600.00 | CSS |
| Permanent bonus, separate | B/. 40.00 | Retirees and pensioners on the payroll in the first half of June 2024 | CSS, Law 438, art. 3 |
The CSS explains that the B/. 100.00 bracket covers pensioners who did not receive the staggered increase of article 4 of Law 70. For survivors’ pensions, the bonus is split among the beneficiaries of the same deceased person (text of Law 51).
When the Christmas bonus is paid
As of 28 October 2026, the CSS has not announced the payment day of the December 2026 Christmas bonus. In earlier years the notice came between late November and mid-December, and the bonus was paid with the second fortnight.
| Year | What the CSS reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Bonus to 303,873 retirees and pensioners on Wednesday 22 December, totaling B/. 18,232,380 | CSS |
| 2023 | Fortnight by ACH on Tuesday 19 December and by check from Thursday 21, with the Christmas bonus | CSS |
| 2024 | Bonuses from 19 December, announced on 26 November | CSS |
| 2025 | Fortnight and bonuses on Friday 19 December, announced on 12 December | CSS |
Of the permanent bonus, this year’s first payment, B/. 50.00, was credited by ACH on Friday 17 April 2026, per the CSS. Holidays that shift payments are in the December holidays calendar.
How the bonus is collected and what to do if it does not arrive
The bonus arrives with the second fortnight, by bank transfer (ACH) or, for those still paid by check, at CSS agencies. The announcements consulted set no separate procedure: being on the payroll on the date the law sets is enough.
- Check the payroll with the pay stub, which the CSS offers on Caja Virtual (cajavirtual.css.gob.pa/pys), after registering.
- Review the payment method: ACH or check. The switch to a bank account is requested at the agencies.
- Wait for the official announcement with the second-fortnight date and the amounts.
- Call if the payment does not show up, using the CSS numbers: 513-4201, 513-1101, 513-1123 and 513-4203.
In 2021, the CSS asked the public to verify announcements on its official social networks (csspanama) and at www.css.gob.pa. The official texts consulted do not require data or money to receive the bonus.
How it differs from thirteenth-month pay and other bonuses
The CSS Christmas bonus is not the thirteenth-month pay. The thirteenth month is an employment benefit that the employer pays through payroll, in three installments a year, as Radar’s guide to thirteenth-month pay in Panama explains. The Christmas bonus comes from the CSS law and the institution pays it to people who already draw a pension.
| Payment | Who pays | Who gets it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas bonus | CSS | IVM and Occupational Risk retirees and pensioners on the December payroll | CSS |
| Permanent bonus (B/. 50.00, B/. 50.00 and B/. 40.00) | CSS, with National Treasury funds | Retirees and pensioners on the payroll when the law took effect | Law 438 |
| Thirteenth-month pay | Employer | Employees on payroll | Radar |
| Year-end bonus of the University of Panama | University of Panama | Professors and administrative staff active on 30 September 2025 | University of Panama |
The University of Panama bonus, B/. 250.00 in resolution 21-25 SGP, is approved by the university’s Administrative Council for its own staff and is unrelated to the CSS one. Radar found no 2026 resolution. The 120 a los 65 program is another payment, and CSS contributions explain how the system is funded.
Myths and facts
- Myth: the Christmas bonus is the retirees’ thirteenth-month pay. Fact: they are different payments, with another legal basis and another payer.
- Myth: every pensioner receives B/. 160.00. Fact: the B/. 100.00 goes only to the pension bracket set by Law 70.
- Myth: signing up is required. Fact: the announcements only ask for being on the payroll.
The CSS’s latest official announcement details the December 2025 bonuses: amounts, legal basis, beneficiaries and contact numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Christmas bonus for retirees and pensioners in Panama?
Yes, the law sets B/. 60.00 for retirees and pensioners on the second-fortnight December payroll. The CSS had not published the 2026 date as of 28 October 2026.
How much is the CSS Christmas bonus?
It is B/. 60.00, plus B/. 100.00 for pensions above B/. 800.01 up to B/. 1,500.00. The B/. 40.00 permanent bonus is a separate payment.
When is the December Christmas bonus paid?
The CSS had not announced the 2026 date as of 28 October 2026. In 2025 it paid on Friday 19 December, with the second fortnight, and gave notice on 12 December.
Who receives the Christmas bonus and who is left out?
IVM and Occupational Risk retirees and pensioners on the December payroll receive it. The permanent bonus excludes those who joined after June 2024.
Is there a Christmas bonus at the University of Panama?
The university approved a B/. 250.00 bonus for its active staff in 2025. It is separate from the CSS one, and no 2026 resolution turned up.
Related articles
- Thirteenth-month pay in Panama: when it is paid and how it is calculated
- Panama Social Security Fund: payments, contributions, appointments
- 120 a los 65: payment calendar and requirements
- Social security contributions in Panama
- Christmas in Panama: parades, lights and events
- Panama December holidays
Sources
Checked on October 28, 2026. Official sources are in Spanish.
- CSS, December 2025 bonuses.
- CSS, bonus calendar, 2024.
- CSS, Christmas bonus, 2023.
- CSS, Christmas bonus, 2021.
- CSS, first bonus of 2026.
- Consolidated text of Law 51 of 2005, Official Gazette 30284-B, article 223.
- Law 438 of 2024, Official Gazette 30053-A, articles 2 and 3.
- University of Panama, Administrative Council, resolution 21-25 SGP.
Ask about this article
Type your question and we will show you the answer inside this article or in other Radar Panamá publications.
