The survivors’ pension secures the livelihood of the surviving spouse and children

The death of a family member is a heavy loss, often also financially. The survivors’ pension which is payable to the surviving spouse and the children protects the income of the family members after the death of the breadwinner.

The survivors’ pension comprises the surviving spouse’s pension and the orphan’s pension.

Children under the age of 18, the surviving spouse and, under certain conditions, the former spouse are eligible for survivors’ pension. A party to a registered partnership is eligible for a surviving spouse’s pension under the same conditions as married spouses are. Common-law spouses are not eligible for a surviving spouse's pension.

An orphan’s pension is payable to the primary beneficiary's biological child and adopted child, as well as to the surviving spouse’s child who, at the time of death, shared the same household with the primary beneficiary and the surviving spouse. This also applies to a child whose parent lives in a registered partnership, providing that the child and the parent share the same household. A foster child is not eligible for a survivors’ pension under the earnings-related pension acts.

The survivor’s pension is basically the same for everybody in all pension acts, apart from a few special regulations concerning seafarers. For further information, please contact the Seafarer’s Pension Fund.

Internal links: The employer’s supplementary pensions, Private pension insurance

External links: The Seafarer's Pension Fund, The Social Insurance Institution, Federation of Finnish Financial Services