Sberbank has launched the issuance of Maestro Social cards, the main task of which is to help organize the budget, plan and accumulate funds for people of retirement age. More and more pensioners prefer the non-cash payment method, considering it safer and more convenient. Every year their ranks are replenished with former employees who are used to receiving wages on a card account. At its core, a Sberbank pension card is a debit card with the possibility of accumulating funds and regular payment of interest on the balance.

By providing cards to people of the upper age category, Sberbank pursues several goals:

  1. Significantly speed up the service process in bank branches. A large number of operations can be performed using one universal pension card.
  2. Unload cash desks, making it possible to receive pension payments and pay off bills through terminals and ATMs.
  3. Gradual replacement of obsolete passbooks with modern accumulation tools.

What opportunities opens up the design of the "Social" card

Using the MasterCard payout system gives you access to standard debit card options with some restrictions.

Cumulative function

A bonus of 3.5 percent per annum is regularly credited to the account balance. Its payment is made not monthly, but once every three months. The countdown starts from the moment the contract is signed. Interest is charged on the amount that was on the card at the time of settlement.

Conditions for cashing out

The limit on cashing out is set by Sberbank in the amount of 150,000 rubles per day. To withdraw a larger amount, you must contact the bank branch. A fee may be charged for withdrawing funds from a card account at ATMs and branches of other financial institutions. Additionally, you will have to pay from one percent of the cashed amount (but not less than a fixed amount of 150 rubles).

You can withdraw money in national currency through one of the ATMs of the Sberbank network absolutely free of charge. No commission is charged when cashing out funds at the bank's cash desks. If the amount exceeds the limit of 150,000 rubles, then a half-percentage commission will have to be paid for withdrawals in excess of this amount.

Refill

To replenish the Sberbank Maestro pension card account, the client can use a terminal or an ATM with a bill acceptor. In the department for transferring cash to the account, you must have your passport with you and remember the card number. Instead of a passport to confirm your identity, a bank employee may ask for a card account number and details of the branch in which it was opened.

The pension is credited to the account by bank transfer. In a similar way, you can transfer funds from other accounts using the Sberbank Online service or its mobile version.

Payment for services

With the help of a pension card, you can pay for purchases and services in shops, shopping centers, catering establishments. Through Sberbank Online, repayment of interest on servicing loans, payments to an Internet provider, and payment of telephone bills are made. Almost all utilities accept electronic payments, which eliminates the need to waste time in queues.

Additional functions

  1. Automatic redistribution of funds. The auxiliary program makes it possible to automatically pay monthly bills, repay loans, transfer money to other cards.
  2. Mobile banking. Activation of this service activates SMS-notification about each transaction with the account. The cardholder's number will receive messages about crediting funds, cashing out, making one-time and regular payments.
  3. Bonus "Thank you" option. Allows you to accumulate bonus points for purchases in retail partner networks of Sberbank. The points collected for a certain period are converted into cash replenishment of the account.

Maintenance and commissions of the "Social" card

The duration of the Sberbank Maestro pension card is 3 years. At the end of this period, a reissue is made with an automatic extension of the contract. There is no fee for reissuing a card. Maintenance of the pension account during the entire period of validity is free of charge. In case of loss of the card or PIN-code, you will have to pay a commission for making a new one in the amount of 30 rubles. Additional cards can be attached to each social account. For their maintenance, you will have to pay an annual commission of 150 rubles.

You can use a pension card at regional branches of Sberbank in the Russian Federation and abroad. In a number of states, there are subsidiary financial structures of Sberbank that serve social accounts.

Registration process

Any citizen of the Russian Federation who receives a pension due to age, disability or in connection with the loss of a breadwinner can open a pension account with Sberbank. To apply, you must have a permanent registration. The procedure for the applicant is as follows:

  • collect the necessary package of documents (passport, pension certificate or other evidence of registration of a pension);
  • visit one of the branches of Sberbank;
  • fill out a personal data form and apply for a card (an example of a standard form is available in each department).

It takes about 10 days for banking services to make a decision on opening a pension account. After receiving the appropriate notification, you should pick up the card and PIN code from the branch you visited earlier. To accrue pension payments to the issued card, you must contact the territorial division of the Pension Fund with an application and indicating the details of the card account.

Restrictions

Despite the fact that the Sberbank pension card belongs to the category of debit cards, a number of restrictions are imposed on it:

  • all transactions are carried out exclusively in national currency;
  • without limiting functionality, the pension card works only on the territory of the Russian Federation. Service in foreign representative offices of Sberbank and affiliated financial institutions is limited to cashing out funds;
  • no payroll option. Only payments from the Pension Fund can be a regular source of replenishment. Working pensioners will have to issue another card for payroll;
  • “Social” card is an entry-level financial instrument without CVV2/CVC2 coding. This means that using this account in the network, you can only pay for a fixed list of services (utility bills, loans, etc.) and make money transfers. You cannot pay for purchases in online stores or other network resources.

Advantages

  1. Sberbank provides free servicing of pension accounts.
  2. The possibility of accumulating funds on a pension account with a nice bonus of 3.5 percent per annum on the balance.
  3. Connection to the Internet banking system and remote asset management.
  4. Automatic repayment of monthly bills with the "Auto payment" function.
  5. A complete standard package of bonuses from MasterCard, allowing you to save up to 12 percent on the purchase of goods.
  6. The ability to withdraw cash at one of the ATMs of the extensive network of Sberbank.
  7. The same conditions for cashing out on the territory of the Russian Federation and in foreign subsidiaries of the bank.
  8. Activation of additional cards, including for children over 7 years old. It is tied to the main account and is issued with the permission of the parents.
  9. Thank You Bonus. Up to 10 percent of all money spent on purchases in Sberbank partner stores is returned to the client in the form of points. These bonuses can be used for further purchases.

The functional content of the pension account meets the needs and preferences of the clients of the upper age category. A number of restrictions could be important for young people and middle-aged people. But statistics show that older people value simplicity and reliability more than the ability to seamlessly shop online. The little-requested features also include internal currency conversion.