Widow's benefit and survivor's pension - your support in difficult times

I am reporting the death of my spouse

If your spouse was a pensioner, you should inform his regional pension fund by letter.

Include his Social Security number, last name, first name, date and place of death. Please also include the death certificate with the letter.

This letter allows you to stop paying your pension on time.

The pension for the month in which death occurred is paid in full, regardless of the date of death. Monthly payments made after the month of death will be recovered.

If there are unpaid amounts at the time of death, they can be transferred to the heirs (descendants, ancestors, collateral relatives, surviving spouses who are not divorced) upon presentation of documents.

It is also important to disclose the death to other organizations on which your spouse depended. Detailed information about these procedures can be found Online.

Was your spouse self-employed?

Visit the page " Procedures in case of death » to learn about all the organizations you can contact.

Apply for Widow's Benefit

Did your late spouse contribute to a pension system? You may be eligible for widow's benefits.

Conditions

Your spouse must:

• Be insured in the pension system for at least 3 months during the last 12 months before the month of death;
• Or be in one of the following situations: recipient of Allowance for Adults with Disabilities (AAH), unemployed, general pensioner, recipient of sickness benefit, maternity benefit, disability benefit, accident at work.

You must:

• Be under 55 years of age;
• Not be divorced from the deceased and not be in a new marriage, cohabitation or registered partnership (Pacs);
• Have income below a certain level. Income for the 3 months preceding death is considered if the start of benefit payment is scheduled from the 1st day of the month of death. Otherwise, income for the 3 months before submitting the application is taken into account. Check payout limits;
• Live in France (including overseas departments), Polynesia or New Caledonia (there are exceptions depending on your or your spouse's nationality).

Amount and payment

The widowhood benefit is fixed but can be reduced depending on your income.

The benefit is paid on the 20th of each month for 2 years from the 1st day of the month in which the death occurred. If you were under 50 years old at the time of your spouse's death, benefits can be paid until you are 55 years old.

Important

If the situation changes (moving, marital status, income, etc.), notify your regional fundto avoid incorrect pension calculations.

Filing an application

Claims for widowhood benefits must be made within 2 years of the 1st day of the month of death. Benefit payments begin on the 1st day of the month of death if certain conditions are met. Otherwise, it is assigned from the 1st day of the month in which all conditions are met, but no later than 2 years after death.

You can submit your application via your personal account. Log in to your personal account and click Consultant ma messagerie, then Transmetre mon formulaire.

Print the form, fill it out and sign it. Then scan or take a photo and send the file by clicking Joindre mon formulaire de demande.

One of the consultants will contact you via email in your personal account. He will provide a list of required documents.

You can also send your application by mail to:
Carsat Bourgogne et Franche-Comté

Center national de traitement de l'allocation veuvage

21 044 Dijon CEDEX

Survivor's pension

If you are 55 years of age or older, you may qualify for a survivor's pension.

A survivor's pension is provided subject to certain conditions being met, including income conditions. It represents the portion of the pension your spouse received or could have received.

It is not combined with the old-age pension for a widow or widower.

You can apply for survivor's pension online through your personal account. Get acquainted with the service "Apply for survivor's pension."

If your late spouse contributed to Alsace-Moselle before 01/07/1946, you can claim an Alsace-Moselle widow's pension. Find out more by contacting your regional Alsace-Moselle Foundation.

Rights in case of widowhood in pictures

All pension funds have come together to offer a single survivor pension entitlement simulator. You can check your eligibility for each fund to which your spouse contributed. Check your rights.

Old age pension for a widow or widower

The Widow's or Widower's Old Age Pension replaces the Widow's or Widower's Disability Pension paid by Health Insurance. It is provided from the age of 55 by your pension fund. After comparison with the general regime survivor's pension, you will be paid a more favorable amount for you. It can be increased under the same conditions as the survivor's pension. Find out more about disability pension for a widow or widower on the Health Insurance website: ameli.fr.

Recording of the webinar “Loss of a spouse: rights and procedures”