In our country, workers are covered by social insurance. Insurance provides many rights to employees. By paying their contributions, insured individuals gain entitlement to retirement and access to discounted services such as healthcare. Payment of Bağ-Kur contributions is an important matter. In this article, we examine how Bağ-Kur contributions are calculated.
Under Law No. 5510, Bağ-Kur members are defined as self-employed workers. People who cannot find employment in the public or private sector become insured under Bağ-Kur and pay their contributions accordingly. This group includes village heads (muhtars), tradespeople, company partners, and farmers. Those who own their own businesses and company partners pay Bağ-Kur contributions. Farmers who are insured under Bağ-Kur also pay contributions within this system.
Calculating Bağ-Kur contribution earnings is also important. Law No. 5510 specifies how Bağ-Kur contributions are calculated. According to the provisions in that law, Bağ-Kur contributions are determined based on the minimum wage. As with all social security contributions, Bağ-Kur contribution amounts are calculated in relation to changes in the minimum wage. When the minimum wage increases, Bağ-Kur contributions also rise.
Law No. 5510 defines the monthly earnings subject to contribution as follows: Monthly earnings subject to contribution are defined as thirty times the daily earnings declared by the insured, provided that this amount falls between the lower and upper daily earnings limits established under Article 82.
These earnings must be declared by the insured within periods determined by the Institution. Those who fail to declare their earnings will have their monthly earnings subject to contribution set at thirty times the lower daily limit.
Once a person’s Bağ-Kur registration is completed, the Social Security Institution calculates the contributions they must pay. If a Bağ-Kur insured person does not declare the earnings on which contributions should be based, payments begin from the minimum contribution level. This paid Bağ-Kur contribution amount can be changed later upon request.
If you wish to increase your Bağ-Kur contribution base, you can apply to do so. You can submit a written application at the Social Security Center in your area to request this change.
Nowadays, Bağ-Kur contribution calculations can also be carried out online. To perform these transactions, Bağ-Kur insured persons first need an e-Government (e-Devlet) password. You can obtain your e-Government password from the nearest PTT branch.
After receiving your e-Government password, log in to the system with your Turkish ID number. Once logged in, you can view your Bağ-Kur contribution details through the relevant sections related to Bağ-Kur.
It is also important to understand the consequences when Bağ-Kur contributions are not paid. Sometimes citizens cannot pay their debts because of heavy financial burdens. If your contribution debt exceeds two months, you lose access to discounted healthcare services. However, if you resume making payments later, access to healthcare services for you and your dependents will be restored.
Bağ-Kur Amnesty
The government has issued an amnesty law within a package bill for those who pay Bağ-Kur contributions and for those who have outstanding debts. This amnesty law allows citizens with Bağ-Kur debts to have certain debts forgiven under specified conditions. The groups eligible to benefit from the Bağ-Kur amnesty are defined as follows:
- Bağ-Kur members with contribution debts of 12 months or longer.
- Tradespeople and artisans.
- Individuals insured under Bağ-Kur for agriculture and farming.
- Those who previously restructured their contribution debts or who applied for cancellation of a restructuring.