What is the aguinaldo and how is it calculated?

Last verified: 27 Oct 2026 · Status: Changing

Short answer. The aguinaldo, or sueldo anual complementario (SAC), is a legal 13th salary. It is paid in two instalments, due 30 June and 18 December, each equal to 50% of the highest monthly pay accrued in that semester, prorated for time worked. On termination for any cause, the worker gets proportional SAC. It bears social security contributions and income tax.

As of 26 Oct 2026. Rules in force at that date.

Key rules

What it is. The SAC is one twelfth of the total remuneration the worker receives in the calendar year (LCT art. 121). It is a statutory right of every employee under the Labor Contract Law 20.744 ("LCT"), not a discretionary bonus.
How each instalment is computed. Each instalment is 50% of the highest monthly remuneration accrued "for all items" in the semester ending in June or December (LCT art. 122, as replaced by Law 27.073; Law 23.041 art. 1). Law 23.041 is public policy (art. 2).
When. Due 30 June and 18 December. December pay is estimated and any difference is settled with the December salary (LCT art. 122).
Partial semesters. The SAC is proportional to time worked in the semester, on 50% of the highest nominal monthly pay (Decree 1078/1984 arts. 1 and 2). The decree does not say whether the proportion is counted in days or months.
Termination. When the contract ends for any cause, the worker gets proportional SAC equal to one twelfth of the remuneration accrued in the part of the semester worked (LCT art. 123). It is paid with the final settlement within 4 business days of termination (LCT arts. 255 bis and 128).
Which items count. All remunerative items of the month: salary, overtime, commissions, remunerative bonuses (Law 23.041 art. 1, "por todo concepto"). Non remunerative social benefits (LCT art. 103 bis) do not.
Contributions. The SAC is remuneration for pensions (Law 24.241 art. 6). The employer's per worker deduction is 50% (ARS 3,501.84) on each instalment, prorated for proportional SAC (Law 27.541 art. 22).
Income tax. The SAC is fourth category income (Income Tax Law art. 82(b)). The exemption for low earners in art. 26(z), added by Law 27.617, was repealed by Law 27.743 art. 70(a) from fiscal year 2024. Withholding accrues one twelfth of monthly pay as SAC each month (ARCA RG 4003/2017 Annex II, section C).

What changes the answer

Variable pay or raises. The base is the single highest month of the semester, so one month of heavy overtime or commissions sets the instalment.
Collective agreement. A CCT can add items or its own rules on non remunerative sums; check whether those sums count for SAC (unconfirmed).
High earners. Above the maximum pension base, the 11% pension withholding is capped. How ARCA applies that cap to SAC instalments is not in the sources (unconfirmed).
Income tax position. Higher earners or workers with other income may owe tax on the SAC, spread over the year under RG 4003.

Worked examples

An employee earns a flat ARS 1,800,000 a month, is hired on 1 March 2026 and resigns with effect from 31 October 2026. USD at dólar MEP ARS 1,563.90 on 23 Oct 2026 (dólar MEP selling rate (dolarapi.com)) (/data/mep/).

Step or item	Time	Cost ARS	Cost USD
Monthly salary	From 1 Mar 2026	1,800,000.00	1,150.97
June SAC, prorated by days (122 of 181)	Due 30 Jun 2026	606,629.83	387.90
Employee withholdings 17% on June SAC	Jun 2026	103,127.07	65.94
Proportional SAC on exit (July to October)	Within 4 business days of 31 Oct 2026	600,000.00	383.66
Employee withholdings 17% on exit SAC	Oct 2026	102,000.00	65.22
Total gross SAC paid in 2026		1,206,629.83	771.55

June instalment. 1. Best month: ARS 1,800,000. 50% = ARS 900,000 (LCT art. 122). 2. Days worked 1 March to 30 June: 122 of 181. 3. 900,000 x 122 / 181 = ARS 606,629.83 (US$ 387.90) (Decree 1078/1984 arts. 1, 2). 4. Counting months: 900,000 x 4 / 6 = ARS 600,000 (US$ 383.66). The norms do not choose; the gap is ARS 6,629.83 (US$ 4.24) (unconfirmed).

Proportional SAC on leaving. 1. Accrued 1 July to 31 October: ARS 7,200,000. 2. 7,200,000 / 12 = ARS 600,000 (US$ 383.66) (LCT art. 123). 3. By days (Decree 1078): 900,000 x 123 / 184 = ARS 601,630.43 (US$ 384.70).

Contributions and tax. Employee withholdings are 17% (11% pension, 3% PAMI, 3% health). Employer contributions (18% or 20.40%, plus 6% health) add about 24% to 26.4%: ARS 145,591.16 to 160,150.28 (US$ 93.09 to 102.40) on the June SAC, less a deduction under ARS 715. Both amounts are below the ARS 4,691,748.47 maximum pension base (ANSES Res. 257/2026 art. 3). No income tax arises for a single worker with no other income: a full year of pay plus SAC (13 x 1,800,000 = ARS 23,400,000, US$ 14,962.59) is below the 2026 non taxable minimum plus employee special deduction, ARS 5,585,736.93 + 26,811,537.29 = ARS 32,397,274.22 (US$ 20,715.69) (ITL art. 30(a) and (c)(2); ARCA July to December 2026 table).

Cost to do it: no fees or capital. About one month's salary a year, plus contributions.

Practical traps

Using the average month. The instalment uses the best month of the semester, not the average. With variable pay, art. 121 (one twelfth of annual pay) and art. 122 (50% of the best month) differ; art. 122 and Law 23.041 govern the instalments.
Forgetting SAC on notice in lieu. Whether SAC is owed on pay in lieu of notice and the integration month is not answered in the sources (unconfirmed).
Paying late. Art. 122 sets due dates and the sources give no grace period (unconfirmed).

FAQ

Do I pay SAC during probation? Yes. It accrues on all remuneration (LCT art. 121), and proportional SAC is due on termination "for any cause" (LCT art. 123).

Is the SAC part of the severance base? No. LCT art. 245, as replaced by Law 27.802, excludes non monthly items such as the SAC.

Can I pay the aguinaldo monthly, as 1/12 with each salary? The law sets two instalments with fixed due dates (art. 122). Monthly prepayment is not provided for in the sources (unconfirmed).

Is the SAC exempt from income tax? No, not since fiscal year 2024 (Law 27.743 art. 70(a)). The employer accrues one twelfth of pay and deductions each month and adjusts when instalments are paid (RG 4003 Annex II, section C).

Published 27 Oct 2026 from our research draft. Points marked (unconfirmed) have not yet been checked against the official text; rely on the primary sources linked below.