Everything You Need to Know About the Survivor's Pension

When an employee or self-employed individual dies, their spouse or former spouse may be entitled to a portion of the basic pension and the supplemental pension that the deceased was receiving or would have been entitled to receive had they died before retirement, subject to certain conditions. However, the surviving civil union partner and the surviving domestic partner of a self-employed individual are not eligible for this benefit.
 

The survivor's pension is available only to the spouse of an insured person under the Cnav (National Old-Age Insurance Fund) whose income does not exceed the annual amount of the SMIC (Interprofessional Minimum Wage for Growth), calculated on the basis of 2,080 hours of work.

Since the minimum wage (SMIC) was raised to €11.65 as of January 1, 2024, the income limits for a spouse have been adjusted. They now amount to 24,232 euros per year for a single widower or widow. If that person lives with a partner, this amount is multiplied by 1.6—that is, €38,771.20.

The amount of the survivor’s pension may be increased, depending on whether or not the spouse has reached the age of full retirement. In this case, as of January 1, 2024, the income limit for the survivor’s pension increase is 2,928.71 euros per quarter, or 976.23 euros per month.
 

For its part, the flat-rate child-care allowance established by Article L. 353-5 of the Social Security Code will be increased to 110.16 euros per month in 2024.

In terms of the amount, the survivor's pension for a single person is:

   at least €324.79 per month (or €3,897.55 per year) and
at most €1,043.28 (or €12,519.36 per year).

These amounts, which apply to the basic pension, do not apply to supplemental pensions or to civil service pensions.

However, they apply under the basic system for self-employed individuals
 

If the deceased was married more than once, the survivor’s pension may be granted not only to the surviving spouse but also to the deceased’s former spouses, regardless of whether they have remarried or are currently living with a partner. In this case, the survivor’s pension is divided among the surviving spouse and the deceased’s former spouse(s) based on the duration of each marriage.
 

It is important to note that a spouse or former spouse receiving a survivor’s pension must notify the pension fund that pays the pension of any change in their income so that the amount can be recalculated. However, once the beneficiary has claimed their personal pension—or reaches age 62 if they are not eligible for a personal pension—the amount can no longer be adjusted.