The government launched in March 2025 the so-called "Worker's Credit", a line of payroll loans that uses up to 10% of the FGTS balance as collateral and deducts installments directly from the payroll via e-Social. In theory, it is sold as "cheap credit" for CLT workers, with interest around 2% per month (about 23-25% per year). In practice, it is an absurd that only benefits banks and puts the worker in a financial trap. Let's break this down.
The FGTS is your money, earned with sweat, but the government has always held it, yielding a miserable 3% a year plus TR – a return that loses badly to inflation, projected above 4% in 2025. Now, with this new modality, they offer you the chance to use your own money as collateral for a loan with much higher interest than the fund’s earnings. It’s like renting your house to yourself and still paying a lot for it. Who profits? The banks, of course.
It works like this: if you have R$ 20,000 in FGTS and take R$ 5,000 borrowed at 2% per month, in 2 years you pay back more than R$ 7,000 – while your FGTS, in the same period, earned only R$ 1,200. In other words, you pay R$ 2,000 more to use what was already yours. And there’s more: the installments can eat up to 35% of your salary, and if you are fired, the 40% fine and part of the FGTS balance go directly to pay off the debt. Result? You are left without savings for emergencies, trapped in a system that charges you to "help" you.
The official statement says it is a solution for debt, but that is half-truth. Yes, the interest rates are lower than the 10-15% per month of credit cards or overdrafts, so it may make sense for those who need to pay off an expensive debt. But for consumption – buying a cell phone, traveling, renovating the house – it’s a shot in the foot. Not to mention that the government wants to end the anniversary withdrawal, another option that gave more freedom to workers. Compared to traditional payroll loans, this "new credit" only shines in advertising.
@Delta Heinig MsHD
