The survivor’s pension – who gets it and how much it is

It is not uncommon for a family to earn its living mainly or even solely from one person. Should this person die, the state will help the family members financially by means of a survivor’s pension or widow’s pension. For this purpose, the pension entitlements of the deceased are used and used to secure the livelihood of the surviving dependents. But what types of survivor’s pension are there and who is entitled to it?

The big widow’s pension

With the survivor’s pension, a distinction is made between the small and large widow’s pension. For a surviving spouse to be entitled to the large widow’s pension, he or she should not have remarried after the death of the partner and the deceased partner should have paid into the pension insurance for at least five years. In addition, at least one of these requirements must also be met: The surviving dependent is the legal guardian of a minor or disabled child. He is less able to work due to illness or disability and meets the age limit, which is currently 45 years and eight months.

How high the widow’s pension is depends on when the marriage took place. If a couple married before January 1, 2002, or if one of the spouses was born before January 2, 1962, a widow’s pension of 60 percent of the deceased’s pension is paid. There are no surcharges for bringing up children under this old law. If you have been married or registered as a civil partner since 2002, the survivors receive 55 percent of the pension intended for the deceased. The widow’s pension can be increased by a child supplement.

The little widow’s pension

If the requirements for the large widow’s pension are not met, the surviving dependents can apply for a small widow’s pension. Here, too, a distinction is made between the new and old law when it comes to payment. For marriages that took place after 2002, surviving dependents only receive the pension for the first two years after the partner’s death. If a marriage was concluded before 2002, the partner is entitled to the small widow’s pension for life. The amount is 25 percent of the pension and can be supplemented by child allowances.

Both the small and the large survivor’s pension may be reduced if the partner was younger than 64 when he died or if the survivor had a good income. However, if you have been married to each other for less than a year or if you remarry after the death of your partner, the survivor’s pension is usually automatically canceled. Exceptional cases must be agreed with the pension insurance.

Editorial office finanzen.net

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