What Happens If You Don’t Pay Your SSS Salary Loan?
Many Filipinos turn to the SSS Salary Loan during tough times — whether it’s to pay bills, fund tuition, or handle emergencies. But what if you lose your job or forget to pay your monthly amortization?
A common question among SSS members is:
“What happens if I don’t pay my SSS Salary Loan?”
Let’s talk about what really happens when you miss your payments, the possible penalties, and how it can affect your future SSS benefits.
💡 What Is the SSS Salary Loan?
The SSS Salary Loan is a short-term cash loan available to all active members of the Social Security System (SSS). It’s designed to help employees, self-employed individuals, and voluntary members with short-term financial needs.
✅ Key Features:
- Interest rate: 8% per annum (based on diminishing balance)
- Service charge: 1% of the approved loan
- Loan term: 24 months (for a 2-year loan)
- Payment: Automatically deducted from salary or paid via SSS payment channels
The loan amount depends on your Average Monthly Salary Credit (AMSC) and the number of contributions you’ve made.
You can quickly check your possible loanable amount using the
👉 SSS Salary Loan Calculator.
🧾 How the SSS Salary Loan Works
When your loan is approved, SSS releases the amount (less service charge and pro-rated interest) directly to your bank account or through your employer.
Here’s how the repayment typically goes:
- Monthly amortizations start on the 2nd month after approval.
- Your employer automatically deducts the payment from your salary.
- The employer then remits it to SSS.
- If you’re self-employed or voluntary, you pay through SSS branches or accredited channels.
⚠️ What Happens If You Don’t Pay Your SSS Salary Loan?
If you fail to pay your loan — whether because you resigned, changed jobs, or simply forgot — SSS considers your loan delinquent.
Here’s what happens step-by-step:
1. 🧮 Interest Keeps Adding Up
Even if you stop paying, your loan doesn’t freeze. SSS will continue to charge 8% annual interest on the remaining balance.
Example:
If you borrowed ₱20,000 and stopped paying after 6 months, the unpaid balance will continue to earn 8% interest yearly until fully paid.
2. 💸 Penalty Charges Apply
On top of the interest, a 1% penalty per month is charged on the unpaid amortization.
That’s 12% per year if you let it sit unpaid!
Example:
If your monthly amortization is ₱900 and you miss one month, you’ll owe ₱900 + ₱9 penalty.
If you miss six months, those penalties stack up fast.
3. 🚫 You Cannot Apply for Another Loan
If you have an unpaid or delinquent Salary Loan, you cannot apply for:
- Another Salary Loan
- A Calamity Loan
- A Restructuring Program (unless announced by SSS)
SSS freezes your loan privileges until your previous loan is settled or restructured.
4. 🧾 Loan Balance Will Be Deducted from Future SSS Benefits
This is one of the biggest consequences.
If you still owe money, SSS will automatically deduct the unpaid balance (including interest and penalties) from any future benefits you might receive, such as:
- Maternity Benefit
- Sickness Benefit
- Retirement Benefit
- Death or Funeral Benefit
💡 Example:
If you’re entitled to ₱20,000 in maternity benefits but you have a ₱5,000 loan balance, SSS will release only ₱15,000 and apply ₱5,000 toward your unpaid loan.
5. 🧍♀️ If You Change Jobs, the Loan Doesn’t Disappear
Some members assume that if they resign, their Salary Loan goes away — but it doesn’t.
When you transfer to a new employer, your loan remains active. You need to:
- Inform your new employer about your existing SSS loan, and
- Make sure deductions continue under the new company.
If you fail to do this, you’ll accumulate unpaid months and interest.
6. 💀 If the Borrower Dies, the Loan Is Deducted from Benefits
Even in case of death, SSS will deduct any unpaid loan balance from the death or funeral benefit before releasing the amount to your beneficiaries.
That’s why it’s always best to keep your loan in good standing.
📊 Example: How Your Loan Grows When You Don’t Pay
Let’s take an example for clarity.
Loan amount: ₱20,000
Monthly amortization: ₱900
Interest rate: 8% per year
Penalty: 1% per month (if unpaid)
If you stop paying for 12 months:
- Unpaid amortizations = ₱10,800 (₱900 × 12)
- Interest ≈ ₱1,600 (8% of ₱20,000)
- Penalty ≈ ₱1,296 (1% × ₱900 × 12 months)
✅ Total owed after one year = ₱13,696
That’s almost ₱3,700 more than your original missed payments — just from interest and penalties.
🧮 Refresher: How SSS Computes Salary Loan Deductions
Let’s recall how the loan computation works:
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Interest Rate | 8% per annum (diminishing balance) |
| Service Charge | 1% deducted upfront |
| Loan Term | 24 months (for 2-year loan) |
| Late Payment Penalty | 1% per month of unpaid amortization |
| Pro-Rated Interest | Interest charged upfront from loan approval date to end of following month |
| Deduction Method | Employer payroll deduction or self-payment |
💡 Example from computation rules:
If your ₱20,000 loan is approved on March 12, 2025,
SSS will deduct ₱219.18 upfront as pro-rated interest for 50 days (March 12–April 30).
Amortization starts in May 2025.
👉 You can simulate your full repayment and interest breakdown using the
SSS Salary Loan Calculator.
🧭 What To Do If You Already Missed Payments
If you’ve missed several months, don’t panic — there are ways to fix it.
1. Update Your Payments
You can pay directly through:
- SSS branch teller
- Bayad Center
- GCash or other SSS payment partners
Make sure you include your correct SSS number and loan payment reference number.
2. Enroll in the Loan Restructuring Program (LRP)
Occasionally, SSS launches a Loan Restructuring Program that allows members to:
- Settle delinquent loans
- Waive penalties
- Re-establish good standing
If you missed payments due to unemployment, calamity, or health issues, LRP is the best option to start fresh.
3. Check Your Outstanding Balance
Log in to your My.SSS account to check your:
- Remaining balance
- Interest and penalties
- Payment history
Once you know your actual balance, you can plan how to settle it or request restructuring.
📌 Tips to Avoid Defaulting on Your SSS Salary Loan
- Always update your My.SSS account after changing jobs.
- Coordinate with your employer’s HR to ensure deductions are remitted correctly.
- Set reminders for payment dates if you’re voluntary/self-employed.
- Pay ahead when possible — there’s no penalty for early repayment.
- Monitor your contributions regularly to avoid missing payments.
⚖️ Can You Apply Again If You Don’t Pay?
No.
If you default or fail to settle your loan, you won’t be allowed to apply for:
- Another Salary Loan
- Calamity Loan
- Loan Renewal
Only after fully paying or restructuring your delinquent loan will you regain eligibility.
🧠 Quick Summary (TL;DR)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What happens if I don’t pay my SSS Salary Loan? | You’ll be charged 8% interest + 1% monthly penalty. |
| Will SSS deduct my unpaid loan from future benefits? | Yes. It will be deducted from maternity, sickness, or retirement benefits. |
| Can I apply for another loan while unpaid? | No. You must first settle your previous loan. |
| Will my debt disappear if I resign? | No. It stays active and continues to earn interest. |
| Is there a way to fix it? | Yes. You can pay manually or apply for the Loan Restructuring Program. |
❓ FAQs About Unpaid SSS Salary Loans
1. What if I already resigned and no one deducts from my salary?
You must pay directly to SSS as a voluntary member. You can use GCash, Bayad Center, or SSS branches.
2. Will SSS send me a notice for unpaid loans?
Yes. SSS sends loan statements or reminders through your registered email or My.SSS account.
3. Can unpaid loans affect my SSS Maternity Benefit?
Yes. If you have a remaining loan balance, SSS may deduct it from your maternity benefit payout.
4. Can I apply for condonation?
Yes — if SSS reopens a Loan Condonation or Restructuring Program. This helps waive penalties for delinquent members.
5. Will SSS sue me for non-payment?
No, SSS doesn’t file lawsuits for unpaid salary loans. But the balance stays on your record and will be automatically deducted from your benefits later.
💬 Final Thoughts
The SSS Salary Loan is a great financial tool — but it’s still a responsibility.
If you don’t pay, the loan doesn’t disappear; it grows through interest, penalties, and deductions from your future benefits.
To stay in good standing, always keep your payments updated and use the
👉 SSS Salary Loan Calculator
to plan your amortization and avoid surprises.
Remember: borrowing from SSS is a privilege, but paying it back on time keeps that privilege open when you need it most. 💪






