Family pension secures the livelihood of the surviving spouse and children after the death of the family provider.

Surviving spouse’s pension may be granted under certain conditions, either based on marriage or cohabitation. Orphan’s pension is granted to children under the age of 20.

The deceased provider is referred to as the benefit provider when applying for family pension. The application is made to the company where the benefit provider was insured before death or from which they were already receiving an earnings-related pension. You can apply for family pension through our online service.

A child under the age of 20 is entitled to a child’s pension if their parents pass away. The child’s pension is also paid if the child’s stepmother or stepfather dies and the following conditions are met:

• The stepparent was married to the child’s parent.
• The child lived at the same address as the stepparent at the time of death.

The pension can be paid simultaneously for a maximum of two deceased providers.

The survivor’s pension is paid to the child until the end of the month in which they turn 20. Please note that Kela may also pay a survivor’s pension under the general family pension law to a student over the age of 18.

Survivor’s Pension for a Widow or Widower

A surviving spouse may receive a survivor’s pension based on either marriage or cohabitation.

Survivor’s Pension Based on Marriage

The granting of a survivor’s pension always requires that the marriage was entered into before the deceased turned 65. If the spouses have or have had a common child, the surviving spouse is entitled to the pension.

If the spouses do not have a common child, the surviving spouse is entitled to a survivor’s pension if:

• at the time of death, they were at least 50 years old or had been on a disability pension for at least three years, and
• the marriage was entered into before the surviving spouse turned 50, and
• the marriage had lasted at least five years.

A registered partnership is treated as equivalent to marriage for survivor’s pension purposes. A former spouse may also receive a survivor’s pension if the deceased was obliged to pay maintenance.

For surviving spouses born in 1975 or later, the survivor’s pension is temporary if the deceased died on or after 1 January 2022. In such cases, the pension is paid for 10 years or until the youngest child turns 18. The time limit does not apply if the deceased died on or before 31 December 2021.

Effect of a New Marriage on the Survivor’s Pension

If the surviving spouse enters into a new marriage after turning 50, the payment of the survivor’s pension continues unchanged. A new marriage does not create any new entitlement to a family pension.

If, however, the surviving spouse enters into a new marriage before the age of 50, the family pension is discontinued and a lump sum equal to three years of survivor’s pension is paid.

Survivor’s Pension for a Cohabiting Partner

To qualify for a survivor’s pension as a cohabiting partner, the following conditions must be met:

• the cohabiting partner died on or after 1 January 2022,
• the partners have a common minor child who lives or has lived with both the surviving partner and the deceased, and
• living together in the same household began before the deceased turned 65 and continued for at least five years at the time of death.

The right to a survivor’s pension ends at the end of the month in which the youngest child entitled to the pension turns 18.

Kela’s survivors’ pension for spouse and child

In addition to the survivors’ pension under the earnings-related pension acts, you can also apply for a survivors’ pension from Kela. More detailed information about Kela’s survivors’ pension and its amount can be found on Kela’s website.

Group life insurance

Almost all employees covered by the earnings-related pension acts are included in the employees’ group life insurance. Entrepreneurs are not covered by the insurance.

The insurance coverage remains for three years after the end of employment. If the employment ends due to transition to a disability pension, the employee remains covered by the group life insurance for five years. The employee is not covered by the insurance after transitioning to an old-age pension.