Survivors' pension, i.e. child's (orphan's) and surviving spouse's pension
Survivors' pension is granted on the basis of an application after the death of a spouse or guardian. Survivors' pension secures the livelihood of the widowed person and children. Child's (orphan's) pension ends at 20 years of age and also widowed common-law spouses can be granted surviving spouse’s pension. With the calculators, you can determine whether spouses are entitled to surviving spouse’s pension.
Who can receive survivors’ pension?
Survivors’ pension is granted on the basis of an application after the death of a spouse or guardian. Survivors’ pension can be received after the deceased person’s death under certain conditions:
A spouse or the surviving partner of a registered couple with a child (including adult children) with the deceased person can receive survivors’ pension if the marriage was concluded before the deceased person turned 65. Survivors’ pension is payable to both widows and widowers.
See instructions on how to apply for surviving spouse’s pension
You can estimate the amount of your surviving spouse’s pension using the calculator
A spouse or the surviving partner of a registered couple without a child with the deceased person can receive survivors’ pension if
- the marriage was concluded before the deceased person turned 65
- the widowed person is at least 50 years old when the spouse dies or the widowed person has been paid disability pension for at least three years
- the couple married before the widowed person reached the age of 50 and
- the marriage has continued for at least five years before the death of the spouse.
If the couple married before 1 July 1990, the widow is entitled to survivors’ pension even if she was over 50 when the marriage was entered into.
Survivors’ pension is payable to both widows and widowers.
See instructions on how to apply for surviving spouse’s pension
You can estimate the amount of your surviving spouse’s pension using the calculator
A common-law spouse who lived in the same household with the deceased is entitled to surviving spouse’s pension if
- the common-law spouse has an underage child together with the deceased,
- the common-law spouse has lived in the same household with the deceased for at least five years before the death of the deceased person,
- cohabitation began before the deceased turned 65 and
- the child has at some point lived in the same household with the deceased and the widowed common-law spouse (living in the same household at the time of death is not required).
Surviving spouse’s pension may be granted on the basis of a common-law relationship if the deceased person died after 31 December 2021
See instructions on how to apply for surviving spouse’s pension
An ex-spouse may receive survivors’ pension if the deceased person had contractually committed to paying support to his or her ex-spouse (does not apply to support payments made for a child).
Children under 20 can receive pension
- after their own parent
- after their adoptive parent
- after the spouse of their own parent.
How to apply for surviving spouse’s pension
We will process your survivors’ pension application if your spouse received pension from Varma or their earnings were mainly insured with Varma.
Estimate the amount of surviving spouse’s pension
Use the surviving spouse’s pension calculator to estimate the amount of surviving spouse’s pension when the only beneficiary is the widowed person.
Complete the widowed person's survivors' pension application in Varma Online Service
You can receive survivors’ pension retroactively for a maximum of six months, so it is a good idea to apply for it as soon as possible after the fatality.
- To complete the pension application through the online service, log in to the service. On the Pension applications page, select survivors’ pension as the type.
- Before completion, you can browse the online application to see what information you will need. The application asks for your account number in IBAN format, the date of conclusion of the marriage or registration of the partnership, the duration of cohabitation in the case of a common-law relationship and information about the deceased person's and your last employment or pension.
- You can apply for Kela’s surviving spouse’s pension with the same surviving spouse’s pension application if you are under 65. Learn more about Kela’s surviving spouse’s pension
Report living or working abroad
If you and/or the deceased person have lived or worked abroad, please also fill in Appendix U, "Residence and Employment Abroad", in the online service. It is used to determine the effects of staying abroad on pension.
Decision on surviving spouse’s pension
The application processing time varies. The processing time is longer if you or the deceased person have lived or worked abroad. You can see your decision in the online service when you choose paperless service. Otherwise, we will send the decision by post to your home address.
Once you have received the pension decision, remember to order a pension tax card. How to request a tax card for your pension
Read the brochure for more information about the amount of pension and how the pension is divided between the widowed person and the child/children.
For how long is surviving spouse’s pension paid?
- If the widowed person was born before 1975, surviving spouse’s pension will be granted until further notice,
- If the widowed person was born in 1975 or later, widowed person’s pension is granted for a fixed period of 10 years or at least until the youngest child turns 18. This only applies to surviving spouse’s pensions granted in or after 2022.
- The surviving spouse’s pension paid on the basis of a common-law relationship continues until the youngest child turns 18.
- If the widowed person concludes a new marriage under the age of 50, the payment of surviving spouse’s pension ceases.
Calculate an estimate of the amount of surviving spouse’s pension
The maximum amount of surviving spouse’s pension is half of the deceased’s pension. When pension is granted on the basis of marriage or registered partnership, the amount of the widowed person’s own earnings-related pension may affect the amount of the surviving spouse’s pension to be granted.
Use the surviving spouse’s pension calculator to estimate the amount of surviving spouse’s pension when the only beneficiary is the widowed person. A widowed common-law spouse is not eligible to surviving spouse’s pension if there are no underage children, which is why the calculator does not apply to the situation of a widowed common-law spouse.
When is surviving spouse’s pension reduced?
The surviving spouse’s pension is decreased if the surviving spouse’s own pension exceeds a certain limit.
- The surviving spouse is over the age of 65 or retired at the time of his/her spouse’s death, and there are no minor children: The reduction is made from the start of the survivors’ pension.
- The surviving spouse is under 65 and has not retired, and there are no minor children: The surviving spouse initially receives half of the deceased’s pension for six months. A reduction will be made only after six months have passed since the start of the surviving spouse’s pension. In this case, you will receive a new pension decision.
- The youngest child turns 18: The deduction becomes applicable at the beginning of the month following the child’s birthday.
- The surviving spouse is granted his/her own earnings-related pension(disability pension, years-of-service pension, old-age pension or cash rehabilitation benefit): A new reduction is made based on the surviving spouse’s actual earnings-related pension.
The reduction of surviving spouse’s pension does not apply to a widowed common-law spouse because the widowed common-law spouse’s right to surviving spouse’s pension ends when the children are no longer underage.
How to apply for orphan’s pension
We will process your orphan's pension application if your parent received pension from Varma or their earnings were mainly insured with Varma.
Complete the orphan's pension application in Varma Online Service
You can receive orphan's pension retroactively for a maximum of six months, so it is a good idea to apply for it as soon as possible after the death of a parent.
- To complete the pension application through the online service, log in to the service. On the Pension applications page, select survivors’ pension as the type.
You have to submit a separate application for each child. Young people who have turned 18, but not yet 20, must personally complete their own application for orphan’s pension. - Before completion, you can browse the online orphan’s pension application and check what information you will need. The application asks for the beneficiary's account number in IBAN format and the application contains questions about the deceased person’s employment and other pensions.
- The same application can also be used to apply for orphan’s pension from Kela. Learn more about Kela’s orphan’s pension
Report living or working abroad
If the deceased person or the child has lived or worked abroad, please also fill in Appendix U, "Residence and Employment Abroad", in the online service. It is used to determine the effects of staying abroad on pension.
Decision on orphan’s pension
The application processing time varies. The processing time is longer if you or the deceased person have lived or worked abroad. You can see your decision in the online service when you choose paperless service. Otherwise, we will send the decision by post to your home address.
Once you have received the pension decision, remember to order a pension tax card.
How to request a tax card for your pension
Orphan’s pension ends at 20 years of age
Orphan’s pension ends automatically at the end of the month in which the adolescent receiving orphan’s pension turns 20.
The orphan’s pension paid by Kela may continue longer. Read more at kela.fi
If you cannot apply for survivors’ pension in Varma Online Service
You can send your survivors’ pension application quickly and smoothly through our online service. If you cannot file an electronic application, use the application forms that are available on the website Työeläke.fi. Fill in the form preferably on your computer screen, print it out and sign it.
Application for surviving spouse’s pension
Application for orphan’s pension
Appendix U (Residence and employment abroad
You can send in an application either by post to Varma, P.O. Box 3, FI-00098 VARMA, or you can scan your signed application and send it via secure email.
How to send a secure email to Varma
Send the PDF survivors’ pension application in a secure message via https://turvaposti.varma.fi.
1. In the “From” field, enter your email address.
2. Click "Continue" and enter the subject and your message, and attach any required files. Send the message.
Help with using our services
Take care of your pension matters online
In our online service, you can, for instance
- fill in an application for surviving spouse’s pension or orphan’s pension (i.e. survivors’ pension)
- see which processing phase your surviving spouse’s pension application is in
- see Varma’s decision
- use the services for pensioners once you have received a decision
- send and receive messages and attachments.