The widow’s or widower’s pension provides support in the event of your partner’s death. It can help alleviate the financial hardships often associated with such a loss. The rules apply equally to surviving spouses and registered partners.

A widow’s or widower’s pension is paid from the deceased’s pension account. The amount of your widow’s or widower’s pension depends on this pension account.

In the first three calendar months following the death, your widow’s or widower’s pension is equal to the deceased’s pension (known as the “quarter of death”).

Full and reduced widow’s pension

After that, you will receive the so-called full or reduced widow’s or widower’s pension.

• Full widow’s or widower’s pension: You receive 55 percent of the pension that the deceased was receiving or would have received at the time of death.
• Small widow’s or widower’s pension: You receive 25 percent of the pension that the deceased was receiving or would have received at the time of death. This pension is generally paid for a maximum of 24 months.

Reductions may lower the amount of the pension paid to you. These reductions depend on how old your partner was at the time of death. Under certain conditions, you may be eligible for a child supplement.

If you have other income that exceeds a certain exemption amount, this will be partially offset against your widow’s or widower’s pension. The amount of the exemption is calculated on an individual basis. Exception: In the first three calendar months (the quarter following the death), your own income is not counted.

Widow’s or Widower’s Pension Under the Old Law

The laws governing the widow’s or widower’s pension were amended starting in 2002. Depending on the date of death and the nature of your marriage or civil partnership, you may be eligible for a widow’s or widower’s pension under the old law. The calculation may differ in this case:

• 60 percent of the deceased’s pension is used as the basis instead of 55 percent.
• You may also receive the small widow’s or widower’s pension indefinitely.
• Fewer types of income are taken into account.
• There is no child supplement.

General Requirements

• You have not remarried.
• The deceased must have contributed to the pension insurance for at least 5 years (general waiting period) or have already been receiving a pension.
  • Exception: If your partner, for example, had a work-related accident, shorter periods may be sufficient.
• You had been married or in a domestic partnership for at least one year at the time of death.
  • Exception: Sometimes it is sufficient if you were married for less than a year. This applies, for example, if your partner died in an accident.

If you remarry, your widow’s or widower’s pension ends. However, you can then apply for a lump-sum payment to help you start a new chapter in your life.

If you and your partner had decided to split your pension entitlements (pension splitting), you cannot receive a widow’s or widower’s pension.

Small Widow’s or Widower’s Pension

You can receive the reduced widow’s pension if

• you are younger than the current age limit:
  • Age limit in the event of death in 2020: 45 years and 9 months
  • This age limit will gradually increase to 47 years by 2029.
• you are not partially disabled and
• you are not raising a child under the age of 18.

Full Widow’s or Widower’s Pension

You are eligible for the full widow’s pension if you have either

• have reached the current age limit specified above or
• have a reduced earning capacity or
• are raising your own child or a child of the deceased under the age of 18, or
• are caring for a disabled child of your own or a child of the deceased, regardless of the child’s age.

Widow’s or Widower’s Pension Under the Old Law

You may be entitled to a widow’s or widower’s pension under the old law if

• your partner died before January 1, 2002, or
• you were married before January 1, 2002, and
• your partner was born before January 2, 1962.

In these cases, you may receive the pension even if you

• were married for less than 1 year.

Widow’s or widower’s pension for spouses who divorced before July 1, 1977

If your marriage ended in divorce before July 1, 1977, you may also be eligible

• despite having been previously divorced or
• even if you have remarried or entered into a civil partnership that has since been dissolved

receive a special widow’s or widower’s pension.

Widow’s or widower’s pension following the penultimate spouse

You may be eligible for a widow’s or widower’s pension based on the penultimate spouse if you

• remarried or entered into a registered partnership after the death of your former partner and
• the new relationship has now been dissolved or annulled.

You can submit your application online, in person, or by mail.

Online application:

• On the German Pension Insurance (DRV) website under “Online Services,” you will find detailed information about the process.
• If you follow the “Submit Application” link, you will be guided through the remaining steps and can select the desired application.
• Alternatively, you can use the online services after registering. This allows you, for example, to immediately see which insurance periods have already been recorded. You also save time and do not have to re-enter data you already know.
• Fill out the application completely and upload the required documents.
• Submit your application online.
• You will receive a confirmation of submission.
• The responsible pension insurance provider will review your application.
• You will receive a decision regarding your application.

In-person application:

• Gather the necessary documents for your application and schedule an appointment with the DRV.
• When scheduling an appointment online, your personal information and, if possible, your insurance number will be required.
• You can select your preferred office and your desired appointment date. Depending on the availability of open slots, you will receive a proposal for a confirmed appointment.
• During your in-person consultation, your application will be recorded electronically and forwarded online to the responsible pension insurance provider.
• The responsible pension insurance provider will review your application.
• You will receive a decision regarding your application.

Written application:

• Go to the DRV website.
• Download the desired application form.
• You can also pick up the form in person at the information and counseling centers.
• Fill out the application form, sign it, and attach the required documents.
• Send all documents
  • by mail to your pension insurance provider or
  • submit them in person at one of the local counseling centers.
• The responsible pension insurance provider will review your application.
• You will receive a decision regarding your application.

A person you trust can also submit your pension application on your behalf. To do so, please submit a power of attorney to the pension insurance agency. As long as the power of attorney is valid, the pension insurance agency will communicate exclusively with the person you have authorized.

If you give your consent to electronic communication, all correspondence can take place online. You can either use the electronic mailbox under the online services with registration or De-Mail.

• Appeal
  • You can find detailed information in the decision regarding your pension application.
• Lawsuit in Social Security Court
  • You can find detailed information in the notice of appeal.

Payment of the pension: If the deceased

• was already receiving a pension of their own, your widow’s or widower’s pension begins no earlier than the month following the death.
• had not yet been receiving a pension of their own, your widow’s or widower’s pension begins on the date of death.

Application deadlines:

• Submit your application no later than 12 calendar months after the date of death.
• If you submit the application later, the pension will not begin until the month of application.

• Small widow's and widower's pensions: generally 4 months
• Full widow’s and widower’s pensions: generally 3 months

Note: If your partner was already receiving a pension, you can apply for an advance payment within the first 30 days after their death. To do so, contact the Deutsche Post Pension Service with the death certificate and submit the formal pension application later. You must be listed as the surviving spouse on the death certificate.

• Application for Survivor's Pension
• Identification document (such as an ID card, passport, birth certificate, or family register)
• Death certificate
• Marriage certificate
• Information regarding your income
• The deceased’s most recent pension adjustment notice or other pension documents

There are no costs involved.

• Forms available: Yes
• Written form required: Yes
• Informal application possible: No
• In-person appearance required: No
• Online service available: Yes