What the survivor's pension is
The pensia de urmaș is a pension paid to the dependants of a person who has died, provided that person was a pensioner or had met the conditions for a pension.
It supports those who depended on the deceased — children and, under certain conditions, the surviving spouse. It is granted by the casa de pensii (pension house) on application.
Children as survivors
Children qualify for the survivor's pension under clear rules tied to age and education:
- Up to age 16, unconditionally
- Up to the end of their studies, but no later than age 26, if they continue in organised education
- For the entire duration of their disability, if they have lost their capacity to work
The surviving spouse
The surviving spouse receives the survivor's pension for life, from their standard retirement age, provided the marriage lasted at least 15 years.
If the marriage lasted between 10 and 15 years, the pension is still granted but at a reduced amount. A surviving spouse who has children under 7 in their care receives the pension until the youngest child reaches age 7.
Survivor's pension — Romanian National Pension House (CNPP)Pension amounts
The survivor's pension is calculated as a percentage of the deceased's pension, based on the number of survivors:
| Number of survivors | Percentage of the deceased's pension |
|---|---|
| One survivor | 50% |
| Two survivors | 75% |
| Three or more survivors | 100% |
Documents required
For the survivor's pension, the pension house requires a file containing:
- Application for the survivor's pension
- Death certificate of the deceased
- Identity documents of the survivors
- Children's birth certificates and, where applicable, marriage certificate
- Proof of enrolment in education, for children over age 16
Where to submit the application
The application is submitted to the territorial pension house (casa teritorială de pensii) that covered the deceased. For certain categories, sectoral pension houses exist.
We help with preparing this file alongside the other post-death formalities, so the family does not have to run between institutions.
Combining with other income
The survivor's pension may, under certain conditions, be combined with employment income or with the survivor's own pension, within the limits set by law.
The combination rules are detailed; we refer you to the pension house for your specific situation.
Survivor's pension and funeral benefit — not the same thing
The survivor's pension is different from the ajutorul de deces (funeral benefit). The funeral benefit is a one-off payment made immediately after death; the survivor's pension is a monthly payment over the long term.
The family may receive both, under the conditions of the law. See also our guide on the funeral allowance.
When the survivor's pension ends
The survivor's pension is not always paid for life. It ends in certain situations:
- When a child turns 16, if they do not continue in education
- When education ends or when the child turns 26
- When disability ceases, for survivors who had lost their capacity to work
- When the surviving spouse remarries, under certain conditions
How we help
We tell you what documents are needed, help you prepare the file, and submit it to the pension house, alongside the other post-death formalities.
We are available day and night. Call us or see our administrative services for a no-obligation conversation.