From January 2025, retirees and disability pensioners will be able to submit applications for widow's pension – informs the Social Insurance Institution.
They can receive a widow's pension women who are at least 60 years old and men who are over 65 years old and remain married until the death of their spousewho acquired the right to a survivor's pension after their deceased spouse no earlier than before reaching the age of 55 (women) and 60 years (men).
If a widow or widower did not apply for a survivor's pension because the spouse's benefit would be less favorable, they should submit an application on the ERR form this year. Additionally, by June 30, 2025, you must submit an application to establish the convergence of benefits with survivor's pension, using the ERWD form.
– This order will speed up the consideration of the application for combining the payment of both benefits in 2025 – he pointed out ZUS.
A similar situation applies to people receiving a survivor's pension who have never applied for a pension.
The ZUS spokesman pointed out that if a person submits an application for a widow's pension next year and does not have an established right to at least two pension benefits, including a survivor's pension after the deceased spouse, then ZUS will refuse to grant her the benefit for this reason no right to a second benefit.
Increase in installments
Next year, widows and widowers will have the opportunity to choose: to receive a full survivor's pension and 15 percent. own benefit or vice versa. From January 1, 2027, the second benefit will be increased from 15 to 25%. – indicated ZUS.
People entitled to benefits will also have this choice pre-retirement benefits, bridge pensionteacher's compensation benefit or training pension.
The amount of the total benefits cannot exceed three times the amount of the lowest pension, which is currently PLN 5,342.88 (3 times PLN 1,780.96). This limit also includes benefits paid by foreign institutions and other than one-off benefits and allowances granted under the Act or separate regulations. If the sum of benefits exceeds three times the minimum pension, the benefit will be reduced by the amount of the excess.
When are applications for widow's pension open?
Applications for widow's pension can be submitted from January 1, 2025, and the right to this benefit will be granted from the month in which the application was submitted, but not earlier than from July 1, 2025 – ZUS indicated.
In the case of applications submitted by June 30, 2025, the right to a widow's pension will be available from July 1, 2025. Persons who have already established the right to a survivor's pension and their own benefit (e.g. old-age pension) do not have to attach any documents to the application for determining the confluence. benefits with a survivor's pension.
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