Accessing the savings accumulated in an AFORE account requires meeting specific legal conditions that vary depending on each worker's pension scheme. According to information reported by xataka.com.mx, the process depends not only on age but also on the worker's contribution history with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS).
There are two primary ways to access these funds based on age. 'Advanced Age Unemployment' (Cesantía en Edad Avanzada) allows for withdrawals starting at age 60, provided the worker is unemployed or has stopped contributing. Alternatively, the 'Old Age' (Vejez) option becomes available at age 65, the legal retirement age, according to InverCAP.
Requirements by Retirement Scheme
The number of contribution weeks is the key differentiator between the 1973 Law and the 1997 Law. Workers under the 1973 Law require a minimum of 500 weeks. In contrast, those who began contributing after July 1, 1997, under the 1997 Law, face a progressive schedule. By 2026, the requirement will be 875 weeks, with annual increases of 25 weeks until reaching a cap of 1,000 weeks in 2031.
Under the 1973 Law, the process requires submitting an application to an IMSS sub-delegation; once the resolution is received, the worker must go to their AFORE to finalize the withdrawal. Funds are typically disbursed within a maximum of six business days. For the 1997 Law, the process depends on the chosen modality: Life Annuity, Scheduled Withdrawal, or Guaranteed Pension, all of which require direct coordination with insurance companies or the AFORE itself.
In both cases, applicants must provide a valid official ID, their AFORE account statement, a bank statement showing an 18-digit CLABE, and an updated worker identification file.
The portal xataka.com.mx notes that there are extraordinary scenarios for partial withdrawals before retirement age. In the event of unemployment, a worker may request funds if they have been out of work for at least 46 calendar days, have held their account for three years, and have at least two years of accumulated contributions, provided they have not exercised this right in the last five years.
A withdrawal for marriage, permitted only once in a lifetime, is equivalent to 30 days of the current Unit of Measurement and Update (UMA). This benefit does not deduct contribution weeks from the worker's history and is available to those who have at least 150 weeks under the 1997 Law and were married civilly after July 1, 1997.
