Under the regulations applied by the Social Security Institution, a surviving spouse or children can continue to receive widow(er)’s and orphan’s pensions even if they also receive a retirement pension. For people without any social security coverage, a pension can be granted without requiring premium payments. These rights available to women can result in access to up to three different pensions. A woman who herself has retirement insurance can receive her own retirement pension plus an additional pension due to a deceased spouse. If one or both parents are deceased, she may also receive an orphan’s pension, so that under the insurance system she can be eligible for up to three separate payments.
Women Can Receive Pensions from a Deceased Spouse and Parents
Women’s social security rights are protected by law, and they may be eligible to receive payments based on their spouse’s or parents’ insurance records. A woman whose spouse has died can be granted an additional pension depending on the type of insurance the deceased had.
To qualify for the survivor’s pension tied to a spouse who died before October 2008, the deceased must have had at least 1,800 days of paid premiums. For spouses who died after October 2008, the deceased must have been insured under SSK; in that case, they must have been insured for more than five years and have at least 900 days of paid premiums. If the deceased was insured under Bağ-Kur and died before October 2008, 1,800 days of premiums are considered sufficient.
Can Receive Two Pensions Even If Retired
A woman who is already retired and insured may still receive a widow(er)’s pension. Receiving a second pension while in retired status depends on meeting certain conditions, including whether the insured person who died passed away before or after October 2008, and the insurance category (SSK, Bağ-Kur, or Emekli Sandığı) of the deceased.
The insurance type of the deceased and the timing of their death determine how multiple pensions are paid.
If a Spouse or a Parent Died Before October 2008:
- If a spouse or parent died before 1 October 2008, the higher pension is paid in full and the lower pension is paid at half rate.
- If the deceased was a civil servant (Emekli Sandığı), a full pension is paid according to civil servant rules.
- If the deceased was insured under Bağ-Kur, the higher pension is paid in full and the lower one at half rate.
- If a parent and the spouse have different insurance types, both pensions can be paid in full.
If a Spouse or a Parent Died After October 2008:
- If parents have different insurance types, both pensions are paid in full.
- If the deceased was insured under SSK, the higher pension is paid in full and the lower at half rate.
- If both were civil servants with service starting before 1 October 2008, a full civil servant pension is granted.
- If both were Bağ-Kur insured, only a single pension payment is provided.
If a Parent Died After 2008:
- If both parents were insured under SSK, the higher pension is paid in full and the lower in half.
- If both were Bağ-Kur insured, the higher pension is paid in full and the lower in half.
- If they were covered under Emekli Sandığı, the higher pension is granted.
- If both were civil servants before 2008, the higher pension is applied.
- If a civil servant’s service began after 2008, the higher pension is paid in full and the lower at half rate.
- If one parent was under Bağ-Kur or SSK and the other was covered by Emekli Sandığı, the orphaned person can receive both pensions.
Monthly Payment of 1,084 TL for Those Without Social Security
Women over the age of 65 who have no form of social security coverage may be eligible for a monthly income payment. The state provides this payment under the “65 years pension” program. With the current year’s figures, the monthly payment is 1,084 TL. Three conditions must be met to qualify:
- The applicant must be at least 65 years old.
- The applicant must not have any social security coverage from any source.
- The applicant’s household income per person must be below 1,416 TL.
Pension amounts and eligibility assessments are determined based on date of birth and other personal details. Applications can be submitted to the regional directorate of foundations in the applicant’s province.