Go to content

Sláðu inn leitarorð

Spouse's Pension

When you contribute to a pension fund you are not only earning entitlement for your senior years, when you cease working, but also ensuring to some extent your family's situation in the event of your death. Upon your death your spouse is entitled to a spouse's pension from the fund.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the spouse's pension paid?

As indicated below, the amount of the spouse's pension varies but is always paid for at least in full for three years and then followed by 50% for another 2 years. 

  • If you have children under 23 years of age: Your spouse will receive a spouse's pension until the youngest child has reached the age of 23.
  • If your spouse is disabled and younger than 65 years of age: The spouse's pension is paid as long as the spouse is disabled until he/she reaches 67 years of age.
  • Inflation-indexed spouse's pension: This is based on indexing the member's pension contributions up until and including December 2014 to present price levels. This means the spouse will receive a pension based on the fund member's contributions plus indexation. The number of months the indexed spouse's pension is paid is calculated by dividing the total amount of the indexed contributions, net of indexed pension payments, by the monthly amount of the spouse's pension. 
  • If your spouse is born before 1925: Lifelong pension is paid.
  • If your spouse is born in 1925-1945: Your spouse will receive a lifelong pension but the amount will decrease on a sliding scale according to the year of birth.

How is the spouse's pension calculated?

The spouse's pension is 60% of the fund member's earned entitlement at age 67 years. A member who satisfies the following conditions is entitled to have his/her entitlement extrapolated to age 65:

  • has paid pension contributions for at least 3 of the 4 years prior to decease
  • has paid pension contributions for at least 6 months of the last year prior to decease
  • has paid pension contributions of at least ISK 80,000* each of the three years.

The spouse's pension will therefore be 60% of the earned and extrapolated entitlement.

*80,000 is the basic reference amount and must be inflation-indexed at the beginning of each year using the CPI, with the base index 230, see Art. 16.8 of the fund's Articles of Association.

What are the requirements for payment of child's pensions?

The requirements for payment of child's pensions are that the deceased spouse/parent has paid contributions to the pension fund for 2 of the last 3 years or for at least 6 months of the last year prior to decease.

If you are disabled and receive a disability pension from the fund you are entitled to a child's pension if you have paid contributions to the fund for 2 of the last 3 years or if you are entitled to extrapolation. The child's pension entitlement is always the same proportion as the disability pension.

How much is the child's pension?

The child's pension is currently around ISK 25,000 per month for each child and is paid until the child reaches 20 years of age. Child's pensions are inflation-indexed with reference to the CPI.

A child's pension may be reduced if paid in tandem with a reduced disability pension. It may also be reduced if the member's annual contributions have not amounted to at least ISK 80,000* during the reference period prior to the parent's death.

*80,000 is the basic reference amount and must be inflation-indexed at the beginning of each year using the CPI, with the base index 230, see Art. 16.8 of the fund's Articles of Association.

To whom is a child's pension paid?

A child's pension following the death of a parent is paid into the child's account; a child's pension due to disability is paid to the person receiving the disability pension.

Who is a spouse?

A spouse is the person who, upon the death of a fund member, is:

  • married to the deceased person
  • in a registered partnership with the deceased person
  • a co-habiting partner of the deceased person.

The financial partnership of the spouse and the deceased may not have been divided prior to the latter's death, i.e. married or cohabiting couples must have had joint finances at the time of death.

Can the spouse's pension be cancelled?

If the spouse marries again or becomes a co-habiting partner in the period during which he/she is entitled to a spouse's pension, the entitlement is cancelled.

Apply for Spouse´s and/or Child's pension

Choose the appropriate application.

Select application

Error
Application