Changing your SSS membership from employed to voluntary is usually much simpler than people expect. You normally do not need to visit an SSS branch, submit a resignation letter, obtain a certificate of employment, or file an SSS Form E-4. After your employment ends, you generate a Payment Reference Number (PRN), select “Voluntary Member” as your membership type, and pay the contribution. Once the payment is validated, your SSS record is updated to voluntary status. (Social Security System)

The important part is choosing the correct applicable month, contribution amount, and membership category. Paying as voluntary while you are still employed—or paying for a month your former employer should cover—can create overlapping or incorrectly classified contributions.

Who Can Change From Employed to Voluntary SSS Membership?

You may continue as a voluntary member if:

You were previously covered as an employed SSS member.
You have at least one valid contribution already posted to your SSS record.
Your employment has ended.
You are not presently working in another category subject to compulsory SSS coverage.
You want to continue paying contributions personally to maintain or improve your eligibility for SSS benefits.

The SSS defines a voluntary member as someone previously covered as an employee, self-employed person, or overseas Filipino worker who is no longer working or earning under that category and chooses to continue contributing. (Social Security System)

Your SSS number remains the same for life. You are changing your membership or coverage status, not applying for a new SSS number.

Voluntary membership may be appropriate when you:

Resigned and are taking a career break.
Were terminated, retrenched, or laid off.
Finished a fixed-term or project-based job.
Stopped working to study, care for family members, or manage the household.
Retired early but are not yet claiming a final SSS retirement benefit.
Moved abroad and are no longer employed as an OFW.
Became unemployed while looking for another job.

Do not use voluntary membership if you are actually self-employed

If you now earn from freelancing, online selling, professional practice, consulting, farming, transportation services, or another business activity, the legally appropriate category may be self-employed, not voluntary.

Similarly:

Your present situation	Appropriate SSS category
Working for a Philippine private employer	Employed
Earning from business, freelancing, or professional practice	Self-employed
Working overseas as an OFW	OFW
Not earning and continuing previous SSS coverage	Voluntary
Full-time household manager relying on a working spouse	Non-working spouse

Selecting “Voluntary Member” when you are actually earning as a self-employed person amounts to declaring that you had no earnings under an employed, self-employed, or OFW category for the period covered by the payment. (Social Security System)

Legal Basis for Continuing SSS Contributions After Employment

The main law is Republic Act No. 11199, or the Social Security Act of 2018.

Under Section 11 of RA 11199, when an employee under compulsory SSS coverage separates from employment:

The employer’s obligation to contribute for that employment ends at the end of the month of separation.
The employee retains credit for all contributions previously paid.
The separated employee may personally continue paying the total contribution to maintain the right to full benefits. (Social Security System)

The Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 11199 further provide rules on voluntary contributions, payment deadlines, monthly salary credits, and the prohibition against retroactive payment. (Lawphil)

SSS coverage is compulsory while you are employed

An employer cannot lawfully require an employee to pay as a voluntary member instead of reporting the employee and remitting the employer’s share.

For covered employees, the employer must:

Register and report the employee.
Deduct only the employee’s lawful share.
Add the employer’s share.
Remit the complete contribution to SSS.
Submit the required contribution records.

Failure to report or remit may expose the employer to unpaid contributions, penalties, civil liability for benefits, and criminal liability under RA 11199. The employee generally does not lose entitlement merely because the employer failed to remit, although the missing contributions may require verification or enforcement proceedings. (Social Security System)

When Should You Start Paying as a Voluntary Member?

As a practical rule, begin voluntary payments with the month after the final month covered by your employer.

For example:

Your last working day was March 15.
Your employer should report and remit the contribution applicable to March.
Your first voluntary contribution would ordinarily be for April.

Before generating a voluntary PRN, check your contribution history through My.SSS. Employers sometimes post final contributions several weeks after the employee’s last payday.

Do not immediately pay a voluntary contribution for the same applicable month simply because your employer’s payment has not yet appeared. Confirm first whether the employer is still within its remittance period.

How to Change SSS From Employed to Voluntary Online

The membership change is completed through your first properly paid voluntary PRN. There is normally no separate “change status” application.

Step 1: Check your posted contributions

Confirm:

The last month paid by your former employer.
Whether the contribution amount matches your salary bracket.
Whether there are missing months during your employment.
Whether your personal information is accurate.
Whether your SS number has permanent rather than temporary status.

A person must already have at least one valid contribution as an employee, self-employed person, or OFW before becoming a voluntary member. An individual who merely obtained an SS number but never acquired valid coverage cannot make an initial contribution as a voluntary member; such a payment may be void and subject to refund. (Social Security System)

Step 2: Open the PRN contribution facility

From your My.SSS account:

Find “Payment Reference Number (PRN)”.
Select “Contributions.”
Choose the option to generate a new PRN.

The exact menu arrangement may change when SSS updates the portal, but the official process requires PRN generation before an individually paying member makes a contribution. (Social Security System)

Step 3: Select “Voluntary Member”

In the membership-type field, choose:

Voluntary Member

This selection is treated as your declaration that you have ceased employment or no longer have earnings under the previous compulsory coverage category for the applicable period. (Social Security System)

Step 4: Choose the applicable month or months

Select the month or calendar quarter you intend to pay.

Check carefully that:

You are not paying for a month already covered by your employer.
You have not selected a future or past period by mistake.
The payment remains within the applicable deadline.
The PRN displays the correct membership type.

Step 5: Choose your monthly contribution

Select the contribution amount based on the current SSS contribution schedule.

For a person becoming a voluntary member for the first time, SSS generally allows the member to choose any Monthly Salary Credit within the prevailing contribution schedule, regardless of the member’s age or last employed salary credit. (Social Security System)

A Monthly Salary Credit, or MSC, is the salary value used by SSS to determine contributions and calculate many benefits. It is not necessarily your actual present income, particularly when you have no employment income as a voluntary member.

Step 6: Generate and review the PRN

Before submitting, verify:

Your name and SS number.
Membership type: Voluntary.
Applicable period.
Contribution per month.
Total amount payable.
PRN expiration or payment deadline.

Save a screenshot or electronic copy of the PRN.

Step 7: Pay the PRN

Voluntary members may pay through approved channels such as:

The SSS Mobile App.
GCash, Maya, or other participating mobile applications.
Participating banks and online banking facilities.
Accredited non-bank collection partners.
SSS branches with tellering facilities.
Other channels listed on the official SSS payment channels page.

The available payment partners can change, so confirm that the channel currently accepts individual-member PRNs before sending funds. (Social Security System)

Step 8: Confirm that the contribution was posted

After payment:

Keep the electronic receipt or official payment confirmation.
Return to My.SSS.
Check your contribution history.
Verify that the payment appears under voluntary coverage and the correct month.

The SSS Real-Time Processing of Contributions system is designed to validate and post PRN payments promptly. If the contribution does not appear within the payment channel’s stated processing period, contact the collecting partner and SSS using the PRN and payment receipt. (Social Security System)

Can You Change Through the SSS Mobile App?

Yes. The same basic process applies:

Log in to the SSS Mobile App.
Open the contribution or PRN service.
Generate a PRN.
Select Voluntary Member.
Choose the applicable period and contribution amount.
Review the details.
Pay through an available in-app or accredited channel.
Check the posting afterward.

The SSS expressly recognizes both My.SSS and the SSS Mobile App as facilities for changing from employed to voluntary status through PRN generation. (Social Security System)

Documents, Fees, and Processing Time

Requirement	Normal rule
SSS Form E-4	Not required solely to change from employed to voluntary
Certificate of employment	Not required
Resignation or termination letter	Not required
Notarized affidavit	Not required
PSA certificate	Not required unless resolving a separate identity issue
Valid ID	Usually unnecessary online; may be required for branch or payment-partner assistance
Change-of-status fee	None
Contribution payment	Required to activate or reflect voluntary coverage
Normal processing	Usually completed through PRN generation, payment validation, and posting

The payment itself—not merely selecting “Voluntary” on an unfinished PRN—is what completes the practical transition in the SSS contribution record.

A branch visit may be necessary when:

You cannot access My.SSS.
Your registered email address or mobile number is outdated.
Your name, date of birth, or civil status is incorrect.
Your SS number remains tagged as temporary.
Your contribution was posted under the wrong person or period.
The system does not allow PRN generation.
You have two SS numbers that must be consolidated.
An employer continues reporting you after separation.

How Much Is the Voluntary SSS Contribution?

Under the schedule effective January 2025, the SSS contribution rate is 15% of the applicable MSC. The prevailing minimum MSC is ₱5,000, while the highest total MSC is ₱35,000. (Social Security System)

Examples from SSS Circular No. 2024-009 and the current contribution table include:

Selected MSC	Monthly voluntary contribution
₱5,000	₱750
₱10,000	₱1,500
₱15,000	₱2,250
₱20,000	₱3,000
₱25,000	₱3,750
₱30,000	₱4,500
₱35,000	₱5,250

For MSCs above ₱20,000, part of the payment is credited to the mandatory provident-fund component in addition to the regular SSS program.

Should you choose the highest contribution you can afford?

A higher MSC may improve benefits that are calculated using the average monthly salary credit, but one or two high payments immediately before a claim will not necessarily produce a proportionate increase. SSS benefits use statutory formulas and specified contribution periods.

Choose an amount you can sustain. A lower contribution paid consistently is often more useful than a high contribution followed by several missed months.

Rules on Changing Your Monthly Salary Credit

For voluntary members:

A member below age 55 may generally change the MSC without a limit on frequency or number of salary brackets, subject to the minimum MSC.
A member age 55 or older may generally increase the MSC only once per calendar year and by one salary bracket.
A first-time change from employed or self-employed to voluntary may qualify for an exception allowing an increase without the usual one-bracket restriction.
A decrease is generally permitted without a frequency limit, but not below the prevailing minimum. (Social Security System)

These rules are intended partly to prevent artificial last-minute increases designed solely to obtain a higher pension.

SSS Voluntary Contribution Deadlines

Voluntary members may pay monthly or quarterly.

The deadline is generally the last day of the month following the applicable month or calendar quarter. (Social Security System)

Examples:

Contribution period	General deadline
January paid monthly	Last day of February
February paid monthly	Last day of March
January–March paid as first quarter	Last day of April
April–June paid as second quarter	Last day of July
July–September paid as third quarter	Last day of October
October–December paid as fourth quarter	Last day of January of the following year

When the deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, payment may generally be made on the next working day. (Social Security System)

You Cannot Back-Pay Missed Voluntary Contributions

One of the most important rules is that voluntary members generally cannot pay retroactively to fill missed months after the deadline.

For example, if you stopped paying in January and remembered in August, you normally cannot simply purchase January through June contributions. Those months remain contribution gaps. (Social Security System)

Contribution gaps do not cancel your SSS membership. However, they may affect:

Sickness benefit eligibility.
Maternity benefit eligibility.
Disability or death benefit computations.
Retirement pension qualification.
Loan eligibility.
The amount of certain benefits.

You may generally resume paying prospectively without paying the missed months.

What Happens to Your Benefits After Changing to Voluntary?

Changing to voluntary status does not erase your previous employee contributions. All valid posted contributions remain part of your SSS record.

Subject to the applicable qualifying conditions, voluntary members may remain eligible for benefits such as:

Sickness.
Maternity.
Disability.
Retirement.
Death.
Funeral.
Member loans.

However, voluntary coverage is not identical to active employment coverage.

Employees’ Compensation benefits

The Employees’ Compensation Program applies to work-connected sickness, injury, disability, or death. A purely voluntary member is generally not making Employees’ Compensation contributions because there is no current covered employment or work relationship.

Unemployment benefit

Changing to voluntary status does not by itself qualify you for unemployment benefit. The benefit is for members who were involuntarily separated for qualifying reasons and meet the contribution requirements.

A claim must generally be filed within one year from involuntary separation. Voluntary resignation ordinarily does not qualify. (Social Security System)

Salary loans

A person who becomes an individually paying voluntary member may need at least six posted monthly contributions under the current voluntary membership type before applying for a salary loan, in addition to the overall contribution requirements. This means an immediate loan application after switching may be rejected even when the member has many earlier employee contributions. (Social Security System)

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

Paying voluntarily while still employed

You cannot validly replace your employer’s compulsory coverage by paying the entire contribution yourself as voluntary. Ask the employer to report and remit correctly.

Paying for the same month as the former employer

Wait for the employer’s final contribution to post or obtain confirmation of the final applicable month. Duplicate or overlapping payments may require adjustment.

Using voluntary status despite freelancing or operating a business

Register or update your coverage as self-employed when you are earning from independent work. Voluntary status is intended for a previously covered person who is no longer earning under a compulsory category.

Selecting the wrong applicable month

Carefully review the PRN before paying. A correctly paid contribution cannot always be moved to another month merely because the member intended a different period.

Allowing the deadline to expire

Generate and pay the PRN early. Missed voluntary months normally cannot be back-paid.

Assuming an SS number alone is enough

A person with no prior valid posted contribution generally cannot establish initial coverage by paying as a voluntary member. The correct first category may be employed, self-employed, OFW, or non-working spouse.

Losing access to My.SSS after leaving the company

Your My.SSS account belongs to you, not your employer. Update your personal email address and mobile number rather than relying on a company email or telephone number.

What Happens When You Become Employed Again?

Once you start a new covered job:

Give your existing SS number to the new employer.
Do not apply for another SS number.
Stop paying voluntary contributions for months covered by the new employment.
Check that the employer has reported you.
Monitor My.SSS until the first employee contribution appears.

Compulsory employee coverage takes priority during employment. The employer must pay the employer share and remit the employee share deducted from your salary.

There is normally no need to file a separate request to change from voluntary back to employed. The employer’s reporting and contribution remittance should update your coverage record.

Special Note for Filipinos and Foreign Nationals Abroad

A Filipino who has permanently migrated and is no longer working as an OFW may continue SSS coverage under the appropriate voluntary program. Filipinos who became permanent residents or naturalized citizens of another country may also remain eligible for voluntary coverage under RA 11199. (Social Security System)

A foreign national who was validly covered while working in the Philippines may retain rights arising from posted contributions and may potentially continue under the applicable SSS rules. Coverage can also be affected by a bilateral social security agreement intended to prevent dual coverage and allow the totalization of contribution periods. The SSS maintains an official list of Philippine bilateral social security agreements. (Social Security System)

No apostille or authenticated foreign document is normally required merely to generate a voluntary PRN. Additional documents may be required for identity corrections, benefit claims, overseas bank arrangements, or transactions made through a representative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my SSS status from employed to voluntary without going to a branch?

Yes. In the usual case, generate a contribution PRN through My.SSS or the SSS Mobile App, choose “Voluntary Member,” and pay it. No separate application form or branch visit is required. (Social Security System)

Do I need to submit SSS Form E-4?

Not solely for changing from employed to voluntary. Form E-4 may be needed for certain member-data changes or when changing to a category that requires branch processing.

How soon after resigning can I pay as voluntary?

You may generally begin with the month after your employer’s final applicable contribution month. Check My.SSS first to avoid paying for the same period.

Can I pay voluntary SSS contributions even if my employer has not posted my last contribution?

You can pay for later eligible months, but do not use a voluntary payment to replace an employer contribution legally due for a month when you were employed. Follow up with the employer and SSS regarding the missing remittance.

Can I pay missed voluntary contributions from previous years?

Generally, no. Late or retroactive payment by voluntary members is not allowed once the applicable deadline has passed.

Will my old employer contributions still count?

Yes. Valid contributions remain credited to your permanent SSS record and may be used in determining benefit and pension eligibility.

Can I choose a lower voluntary contribution than my previous employee contribution?

Generally, yes, subject to the prevailing minimum MSC and the rules governing changes in MSC. Consider how a lower MSC may affect future benefit calculations.

Can I continue paying as voluntary after age 60?

Depending on your contribution record and whether you have filed a final retirement claim, continued payment may be permitted. SSS states that certain members aged 60 to 64 may continue paying, while a member aged 65 or older with fewer than 120 contributions may be allowed to continue until completing the 120 contributions required for a monthly retirement pension. (Social Security System)

What if I accidentally paid under voluntary status while employed?

Check whether an employee contribution was also posted for the same month. Contact SSS and present the PRN, payment receipt, employment records, and contribution history so the payment can be reviewed for possible adjustment.

Does changing to voluntary automatically qualify me for a pension?

No. A monthly retirement pension generally requires at least 120 monthly contributions and compliance with the applicable retirement conditions. Changing membership status only allows you to continue building your contribution record.

Key Takeaways

You normally change from employed to voluntary by generating and paying a PRN marked “Voluntary Member.”
No E-4, resignation letter, certificate of employment, notarization, or branch visit is usually required.
Start with the month after your employer’s final contribution period.
Do not pay as voluntary while you are still in covered employment.
Use self-employed or OFW status when that category accurately reflects your present work.
Check the applicable MSC and contribution amount before paying.
Voluntary contributions must be paid on time because retroactive payments are generally prohibited.
Keep every PRN and payment receipt, and verify the contribution in My.SSS after payment.