How long must a marriage last for ZUS to pay a widow’s pension? Determine who will receive the money after your spouse dies

• The benefit given to elderly widows will not always be for life
• The duration of the marriage does not affect entitlement to a survivor’s pension

The benefit given to elderly widows will not always be for life

We already know since then when widows and widowers can count on improving their financial situation thanks to the new benefitwhich is a widow’s pension. The new rules were adopted and signed by the President. They will come into effect on 1 January 2025, and benefit payments will start from July 2025. It is now clear that a widow’s pension will be available to widowed women aged 55 or over and widowed men aged 60 or over longer. This age difference is between those who qualify advantages Widows and widowers were a subject of debate and criticism. However, the rules leave no doubt – the right to a widow’s pension will be available to people whose spouse died no earlier than five years before they reached the normal retirement age, which is, as we know, different for women and men under the current standard. applicable regulations.

Once the benefit given to old widows is not for life. If a widow or widower who receives a pension enters a new marriage, the payment will stop on the day before the end of this marriage. However, can all widows and widowers apply for the benefit and receive it in the same amount, regardless of how long the marriage lasted? The regulations do not mention this matter at all, which leads to the conclusion that, similarly to the survivor’s pension, there is no restriction in this regard, and there is no marriage affecting the right to widow’s pension and its amount.

The duration of the marriage does not affect entitlement to a survivor’s pension

Let us remind you that under the rules currently applicable survivor’s pension available to eligible family members of a person who, at the time of his death, had an established right to an old-age or disability pension for incapacity for work or met the conditions necessary to receive one of these benefits. People who have rights survivor’s pension have the following family members who fulfill the statutory conditions:

1. own children, children of other spouses and adopted children;
2. grandchildren, siblings and other children adopted for upbringing and maintenance before reaching the age of majority, except for children adopted for upbringing and maintenance within a foster family or family children’s home;
3. spouse (widow and widower);
4. parents

In case of widow, she can get survivor’s pensionif:

1. at the time of her husband’s death she reached the age of 50 or was unable to work or
2. raising at least one of the children, grandchildren or siblings entitled to a survivor’s pension after the deceased person, who has not reached the age of 16, and if he or she is studying at school – 18 years of age, or if he or she is caring for a child who is totally incapable of working and living independently, or totally incapable of work, with the right to survivor’s pension.

As follows, this is also true survivor’s pension the length of the marriage it does not affect the right to benefit or its amount.

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