The widowhood allowance is a benefit paid, subject to age and means, to the spouse whose husband or wife is deceased. This is a benefit, allocated monthly, intended to financially help the surviving spouse who does not yet meet the conditions for receiving a survivor's pension, in particular that of being aged 55 and over.
The widowhood allowance designates a benefit that can be paid to the surviving spouse following the death of his or her husband or wife, subject in particular to age and resources. This is a monthly allowance paid every 20th of the month allocated by Social Security or the Mutuelle sociale agricole (MSA) depending on the situation of the insured.
To claim the widowhood allowance, the deceased husband or wife must have been affiliated to old-age insurance for at least 3 months, continuous or not, during the year preceding his death, as a private employee, non-permanent public official, agricultural employee, non-agricultural employee or job seeker. This benefit may also be granted if the deceased was a holder of the allowance for disabled adults (AAH), compensated unemployed, retired, compensated for illness, maternity, disability, or an accident work.
Then, the surviving spouse must be under the age of 55 because the widowhood allowance represents a temporary benefit intended to financially protect people who have not reached the age to be able to benefit from a survivor's pension. Indeed, beyond the age of 55, it is possible to receive, under certain conditions, a survivor's pension.
In addition, the widowhood allowance is paid to the surviving spouse only if he resides in France. However, this condition is not always required depending on the pension fund granting this benefit.
Another condition to be met in order to claim the widowhood allowance:the surviving spouse must not live as a couple, that is to say neither be remarried, nor be in a PACS, and neither live in a cohabitation.
Finally, the widowhood allowance is granted subject to means testing. Thus, the resources of the surviving spouse, taken into account during the 3 calendar months preceding their application for benefits, must not exceed approximately 782 euros per month. In this case, the amount of the widowhood allowance is 625 euros per month, an amount which can be reduced depending on the level of resources of the surviving spouse.
The widowhood allowance can be combined, within a certain limit and for a certain time, with income from salaried or non-salaried activity, training, or the creation or takeover of a business.
This benefit is paid as long as the surviving spouse fulfills the conditions, for a maximum of 2 years, or up to the age of 55 if the beneficiary was 50 years old at the time of the death of his or her husband or wife.
Good to know:the Retirement Insurance offers an online simulator to find out if you meet the conditions to benefit from a widowhood allowance. All you have to do is connect to your personal space.
The payment of the widowhood allowance is not automatic. The surviving spouse must apply to their pension fund.
For those insured under the general social security scheme, the application for the widowhood allowance must be made to the National Old Age Insurance Fund (Cnav), and more specifically to the fund of the last place of work of the deceased spouse.
A form (Cerfa n° 12098*04), available in particular on the Retirement Insurance website, allows you to apply for a widowhood allowance. Once completed, it is possible to send it to the Retirement Insurance by dematerialized means on his personal space under "Transmit my form", or by post to these addresses depending on the situation:Carsat Bourgogne – Franche-Comté, Center national de processing of the widowhood allowance – 21044 Dijon cedex (for people residing in France) or at National Old Age Insurance Fund, 15 avenue Louis Jouhanneau – 37078 Tours cedex 2 (for residents abroad).
The application for widowhood allowance must be accompanied by documents such as proof of civil status, a bank account statement (RIB), and the latest income tax notice or tax declaratory situation. on income. Other documents are necessary depending on the situation of the applicant and that of the deceased spouse (proof of cessation of activity, creation of a business, salary slips, certificate from the Pôle emploi, notice of payment of the allowance for disabled adults, etc).
Widowhood allowance must be requested within 2 years of the 1 st day of the month of his spouse's death. If the latter is requested within 12 months of this benchmark date, the allowance can be paid from the 1 st day of the month in which the death occurred. Beyond 12 months, the allowance is due from the 1 st day of the month of the request.
