WILLEMSTAD – The recent increase in the General Old Age Pension (AOV) has not yet been fully incorporated into Curaçao’s 2026 budget, raising concerns about long-term affordability, the College financieel toezicht Curaçao and Sint Maarten (Cft) warns.
As of January 1, 2026, the monthly AOV benefit was raised to 1,000 guilders. In addition, pensioners will receive a one-time compensation payment of 2,500 guilders to offset purchasing power losses. While funds for the one-time payment have reportedly been reserved within the national budget, neither measure has been formally processed in the approved budget documents.
The Cft calls on the government to clarify how the structural increase will be financed and what the long-term impact will be on the national budget, the AOV fund and the so-called buffer fund. The watchdog also raises a potential legal concern, as the one-time payment applies only to current residents and not to future AOV beneficiaries.
Without proper budgetary processing, the Cft states that the financial picture of the government remains incomplete.