Maternity for the self-employed – ZUS isn't as scary as it's made out to be

A common mistake entrepreneurs make is believing that the amount of their benefit depends on their business income. This is a very misleading assumption – for an employment contract, the contribution base is the same as the income (gross salary), whereas for a business, the contribution base is determined separately and depends, among other things, on the length of time the company has been operating. Minimum bases are assigned to specific contribution payment schemes (start-up relief, preferential ZUS, full ZUS), but they can always be voluntarily increased – and this is precisely what gives a real impact on the benefit amount.

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Maternity Benefit – What, Who, and for How Long

The right to maternity benefit is granted from the very first day of voluntary sickness insurance coverage. What's important is that for entrepreneurs, sickness insurance is not automatic – you need to apply for it yourself (or inform your accounting department of your wish to be covered).

The benefit (in the case of a single birth) is granted for a maximum of 61 weeks and can be started as early as 6 weeks before the planned due date. The first 20 weeks are maternity leave (including a mandatory 14 weeks for the mother), the next 32 weeks are parental leave, and the final 9 weeks are additional parental leave available to the other parent, who may have used a smaller portion previously.

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You have more control than you think

The amount of the benefit depends on the sickness insurance contribution base from the 12 months preceding the birth. An entrepreneur who paid higher contributions for a full year can expect a truly substantial benefit – often exceeding PLN 10,000 per month.

But what if the pregnancy was a surprise and there's no time for a "full 12 months"? All is not lost – every month with a higher contribution increases the amount of the future benefit. For example: increasing the base for 6 months before birth can result in a monthly maternity benefit of around PLN 8,000.

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There are two options for benefit payment:

●    100% of the base for 20 weeks of maternity leave and 70% for 32 weeks of parental leave,

●    81.5% for the entire 52-week period – provided the application is submitted within 21 days after birth (this is the more profitable option).

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It's also worth remembering that sick leave during pregnancy (with code B) is paid at 100% of the base. So, if an expectant mother increases her contribution base sufficiently in advance, it might be more financially beneficial to go on sick leave earlier than to wait for the leave until birth. During sick leave, you are not allowed to work, but social contributions are proportionally reduced, which is an additional benefit. However, during maternity and parental leave, there are no contraindications whatsoever to running a business, and at the same time, the monthly ZUS (social security contributions) are limited only to health insurance contributions.

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Conscious planning can literally pay off

In extreme cases, the "profit," calculated as the difference between the full year's maternity benefit and the social contributions paid a year before birth to increase the benefit, can amount to... over PLN 75,000. Yes, you read that right. You just need to calculate carefully, plan the period of paying higher contributions in advance, and... trust the numbers. And that's where we come in.

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How much can you gain?

Let's look at two scenarios:

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●    Scenario 1: without increasing the contribution base
Social contributions: approx. 1800 PLN per month
Sickness benefit (100%): approx. 3900 PLN per month
Maternity benefit (81.5%): approx. 3200 PLN per month for a year

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●    Scenario 2: maximum increased contribution base for 12 months before childbirth
Social contributions: approx. 7000 PLN per month
Sickness benefit (100%): approx. 16400 PLN per month
Maternity benefit (81.5%): approx. 13500 PLN per month for a year.

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The difference? Huge. And that's not all – because the intermediate options are almost endless. You can choose a variant like: "I want 10000 PLN in monthly benefits after childbirth" or "I can pay contributions of around 4000 PLN per month" – and we will calculate it for you. And put it into practice.

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Comprehensive support – from planning to payouts

At our accounting office, we help pregnant women (and those who are just planning a pregnancy) understand how maternity benefits work and how to truly take advantage of them. We check what contribution base is worth paying for, how much it costs, and how much you can gain. Then, we handle the entire process of formalities – from A to Z – so you can focus on what's most important: a calm transition into a new stage of life. Because motherhood and entrepreneurship can truly be combined. You just need to know the rules of the game – and have someone to help you play them well.

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What we offer:

●    Calculation of the estimated maternity benefit based on selected contribution bases and financial preferences,

●    Monthly verification of ZUS declarations and their priority submission,

●    Initial verification of your ZUS account status and insurance,

●    Preparation and submission of benefit applications and other necessary documents after childbirth,

●    Covering the process with our insurance in case ZUS disputes the benefit payment (this hasn't happened to us yet ;))

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Every situation is different – if you'd like to see what your scenario might look like, we'd be happy to help you analyze it ;)