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Understand · Payroll glossary

What is a survivor’s pension?

Updated on

A survivor’s pension is a pension paid to the surviving spouse, calculated on the career of the person who died. In 2026: 7.50% (deduction for the survivor’s pension from a statutory civil servant’s salary). In Dutch: overlevingspensioen.

Definition of the survivor’s pension

It exists in the schemes for employees, the self-employed and the public sector. Statutory civil servants contribute to it through a deduction of 7.5% from their salary.

If the surviving spouse works before age 66, their professional income is limited: above the limit, the pension is reduced.

The key figure in 2026

7.50%Deduction for the survivor’s pension from a statutory civil servant’s salary

Source: Cotisation pension des fonctionnaires statutaires, National Social Security Office (NSSO). Value in force on 1 October 2026.

Worked example

A statutory civil servant with a salary of €3,500 gross pays €262.50 a month for the survivor’s pension. A widow aged 55 who receives only a survivor’s pension can earn up to €24,289 gross a year as an employee in 2026, with no dependent children.

In Dutch: overlevingspensioen

In a Dutch-language contract or letter from the employer or the National Employment Office (NEO), the survivor’s pension is called ‘overlevingspensioen’; in French-language ones, ‘pension de survie’. On Indexo’s English pages: survivor’s pension.

Dutch term taken from: FPS Finance, FPS BOSA.

Not to be confused with…

  • Statutory pension: the social security pension, the first pillar: it is calculated on your career and your earnings, and paid from the statutory age or on early retirement.
  • Statutory civil servant: a permanently appointed public sector employee: their status is set by regulations, not by an employment contract.

Calculate it for your situation

Statutory or contract staff: net pay, gross for gross, holiday pay, the end-of-year allowance and the pension.

Civil servant

Related terms

Sources

Parameters in force on 1 October 2026. Each parameter links to its source, the official one where it exists; a secondary source is flagged as such.