Surviving spouse's pension: Amount and payment
The surviving spouse's pension consists of two components: a starting pension and a continuing pension. The continuing pension consists of a basic amount and an additional amount.
Starting pension
The amount of the starting pension is EUR 383,30 per month.
Kela pays the starting pension for 6 months after the death of your spouse/partner or until you reach the age of 65. However, if you were cohabiting with your partner, you will no longer be eligible for starting pension once any child that you have with your partner has reached the age of 18.
Your income and assets do not affect the amount of the surviving spouse’s starting pension.
If you receive national pension or a comparable pension from abroad which is smaller than the starting pension, only the amount exceeding the national pension or a comparable pension from abroad is paid.
If your spouse/partner had lived or worked abroad, the starting pension may be paid at a reduced rate.
Continuing pension
The continuing pension consists of a basic amount and an additional amount.
If your spouse/partner had lived or worked abroad, the continuing pension may be paid at a reduced rate.
Basic amount
The basic amount is EUR 120.06 per month. You get this only if you have a dependent child who is under 18 years old. The child must be yours or your spouse's/partner’s.
Your income and assets do not affect the basic amount of the continuing pension.
Additional amount
A surviving spouse/partner who is not cohabiting can get an additional amount of a maximum of EUR 623.13 per month.
The additional amount payable to a surviving spouse/partner who is cohabiting is a maximum of EUR 539.15 per month.
However, almost all of your income, such as salary income, pension paid by an authorised pension provider, benefits paid by Kela, rental income and dividend income, will affect the amount of the additional amount. 60% of your earned income and other equivalent income is taken into account. In order to get the full additional amount, you can earn a maximum of EUR 65.62 per month.
The higher your income is, the lower is the additional amount payable.
Living arrangement | Full rate of the additional amount | Maximum income to qualify for a full pension | Maximum income at which an additional amount is paid when you have a child under 18 | Maximum income at which an additional amount is paid when you do not have a child under 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Living alone | 623.13 | 65.62 | 1,311.80 | 1,296.15 |
Living with another person* | 539.15 | 65.62 | 1,143.88 | 1,128.13 |
*Marriage, registered partnership or cohabitation
Effect of income on the additional amount
Almost all your incomes affect the additional amount of the continuing pension. However, only 60% of your earned income and any comparable income is taken into account.
For instance, unemployment benefits, sickness allowance, parental allowances as well as the care allowance of the child home care allowance are considered comparable to earnings. In addition, the partial early old-age pension from the earnings-related pension scheme, excluding the early retirement reduction, is also considered as income.
For farmers and self-employed persons, the income confirmed under the Self-Employed Persons’ Pensions Act (YEL) or the Farmers’ Pensions Act (MYEL) is taken into account.
The increase for deferred retirement on earnings-related pension, which is payable if you continue working past your earliest possible retirement age, is not counted as income.
The interest on housing loans is deducted from the income, but not taxes.
Your property and assets do not affect the additional amount.