A Survivor's Pension for Couples in a Civil Partnership?
The Pension Policy Council (COR) is considering changes to the survivor’s pension to include, in particular, cohabiting partners and civil union partners.
What is a survivor's pension?
A survivor’s pension allows the surviving spouse to receive a portion of the deceased spouse’s retirement pension. Although eligibility criteria vary depending on the pension plan (basic or supplemental), one requirement remains constant: the spouses must have been legally married for a minimum period of time. Following a request from the government in 2023, the Pension Advisory Council (COR) presented several suggestions on February 1 to modernize this system, with the aim of bringing it more in line with societal changes.
Harmonization of conditions?
The criteria governing survivor benefits vary by pension plan, particularly with regard to income, age, the survivor benefit rate, and rules regarding remarriage. For example, for surviving spouses covered by the general plan, the minimum age to receive a survivor benefit is 55, while no minimum age is required for civil servants. The COR suggests harmonizing these criteria “to ensure equity among the various plans.”
Will the number of "free" quarters increase starting with the third child?
The COR also considered increasing the insurance period for the purpose of taking children’s births into account. This mechanism allows employees to earn “free” quarters in connection with the birth and raising of children. Currently, the number of quarters awarded per child varies by plan (eight in the private sector and two in the public sector). The COR recommends harmonizing this system, as well as a 10% increase in mothers’ pensions starting with the third child. According to the report, this measure would “better account for the impact of children on women’s careers.” This increase would be granted based on income criteria or in the event of a career interruption.
A pension for all couples
The goal is also to adapt the system to societal changes, particularly the significant decline in the number of marriages. The COR suggests extending the system to include couples in a civil partnership or living together as common-law spouses, subject to a minimum period of cohabitation. The method for calculating the survivor’s pension would also be standardized, amounting to two-thirds of the deceased’s retirement pension, minus one-third of the income still received by the surviving spouse. The COR will review these proposals over the coming months before presenting its final recommendations to the government by the end of 2024.
