The calculation elements of the survivors' pensions are as follows:
- The contribution years, which can be taken into account
- The deceased's income from gainful employment
- Bonus years for the deceased's educative and/or assistance tasks.
Survivors receive a full pension (pension scale 44) when the deceased has a full contribution period between the 1st January following their 20th birthday and their death.
If the contribution period is incomplete, that is if the deceased does not have the same number of contribution years as their age group, a partial pension will be paid out (level 1 to 43 of the pension scale). This pension is calculated according to the link between the actual number of years during which the deceased has contributed and the full contribution period.
When a spouse in receipt of a pension dies, a widowhood supplement is added to the recalculated pension. However, the supplement is only paid up to the amount of the maximum old-age pension.
If a person simultaneously meets the conditions to obtain an old-age and a survivors' pension the most favourable one of the two is paid.
